Distinguished Engineer
Hometown: Freeman
B.S. Civil Engineering ,
M.S. Civil Engineering ,
Fred Rittershaus spent seven years as an instructor and assistant professor of Civil Engineering at South Dakota State College after earning both a B.S. and an M.S. degree from SDSC. He spent 36 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a Brigadier General in the U.S. Air National Guard. For 30 years, Rittershaus served as a design engineer, project engineer, project manager, senior project manager and principal in the architectural/engineering firm of Banner Associates, Inc., in Brookings. He then worked as senior vice president, corporate director, corporate treasurer and assistant corporate secretary at Banner. Rittershaus had broad experience in all elements of project management involving transportation, structures, municipal civil works, water resources and wastewater disposal. He worked on over 100 bridge designs and 2,000 bridge inspections. He managed multiple highway and urban street projects and airport improvement projects. His civic and professional activities included being president of the Brookings Chamber of Commerce, president of Brookings Rotary, director and chairman of the Board of Brookings United Retirement Center, director and vice-chairman of the board of Brookings Federal Bank, chairman of the South Dakota State Commission of Engineering, member of the Architectural and Land Surveying Examiners and member of the Governor’s Committee for the Employment of the Disabled.