SDPB congratulates Rex Kinnear and Steve Thum on their years of service with SDPB.
Rex Kinnear, a graduate of Armour High School and the University of South Dakota, is celebrating 35 years with SDPB. Rex started as a Production Assistant in the television department in 1984 and is currently a Director/Media Specialist. Rex directs various high school championship events as well as SD Focus, legislative coverage, and also runs camera, graphics and audio. His “most memorable SDPB moment” is visiting former South Dakota governor and WWII Fighter Pilot Joe Foss at Foss’ home in Scottsdale, AZ while shooting the SDPB documentary American Ace: The Joe Foss Story.
Steve Thum graduated from Scotland High School and Black Hills State University. Thum started at SDPB in 1991 as the Overnight Operator of Master Control and has been TV Traffic Manager since 1995. “There are so many memorable moments, it’s hard to pick one,” says Steve. “The 2007 State A Girls Basketball Tournament stands out because it was held in Spearfish, home of my alma mater. I was announcing the games on TV and Mike Henriksen and I called one of the most exciting games SDPB ever aired when Vermillion upset #1 Milbank in the semifinals. Then, I got in one of the best lines during Dell Rapids vs. Bennet County. A Bennet County player made a really difficult shot. The ball took a crazy angle and went in off the backboard because it had a lot of spin. I quipped, ‘That shot had more English on it than Masterpiece Theatre.’ Mike H. chuckled on-air and everyone in the production truck cracked up over our internal audio. It was a totally ad-libbed line!”
