Harold Kortum was born and raised on a ranch southwest of Presho, South Dakota where he attended High School.  He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he served during the Korean War.

On his return to South Dakota, he married and moved to Columbia Falls, Montana.  He was employed by Plum Creek Lumber Company as an Apprentice Electrician.  He attended classes and training with the Electrical Workers Union at the Aluminum Plant near Columbia Falls.  After several years of working at Plum Creek, he returned to South Dakota and the family farm.  He raised four children and worked in the winter months as an Electrician.  He then moved to Pierre, South Dakota where he worked for Mid Dakota Electric and Ferding Electric.

In 1978, he began employment with the South Dakota Electrical Commission.  He inspected in the Western fourth of South Dakota and in the early 1980s he had an area from Lemmon to Martin to the Wyoming border.  He has lived in Custer, South Dakota since his employment with the State.

Harolds philosophy with inspections was if he could not give you a reason for a code requirement you would, you have to do it.  His advice to new inspectors was you had to be able to go in a homeowner wired house that was all wired wrong and before you left everything will be done right and the owner will think it was their idea.

Harold considered himself an electrician’s inspector because he learned everything about wiring by doing it.  He also tried to get electricians to take pride in their work and complimented then, when they did.