RAPID CITY — Two credit union professionals - one with roots in the Heartland - were inducted into the Dakota Credit Union Association (DakCU) Hall of Fame during the awards banquet held May 11. The Hall of Fame honor is a lifetime achievement, and the most prestigious of all DakCU awards.  

Darrell Dickhaut has worked in the credit union industry for more than 25 years. Originally from Redfield, Dickhaut is a military veteran who served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC during the Vietnam War. He became the manager of Turtle Creek FCU in 1991 and spent the next two years fixing the problems that had plagued the small financial institution, including crippling delinquency. In 1997 he oversaw the construction of a new building on Main Street in Redfield, and another addition was completed in 2001. He also served on the S.D. Credit Union League Board of Directors for ten years; completed CUNA Management School in 1997; and was a top ten fundraiser for CULAC.

In 2012, Turtle Creek FCU merged into Dakotaland FCU with the support of board and staff. Since retiring in 2015, Darrell still resides in Redfield, but now spends his days fishing, hunting, and chasing grandchildren. He and his wife Barb spend a few of the colder months in Arizona.

Dan Cumbee, former CEO of Dakotaland FCU, said “Darrell is most deserving of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. His commitment to the credit union movement and his accomplishments over the years are extraordinary. His quiet leadership style has left a lasting impression and has earned the respect and admiration of many.”