BAC Journal > Local 4 South Dakota Celebrates 100 Years of Solidarity

Local 4 South Dakota Celebrates 100 Years of Solidarity

2012 Issue 1
News in Brief
JOURNAL: ISSUE 1 - 2012

Local 4 SD retirees gathered at the Local’s 100th anniversary celebration. Front row from left, Local 4 President Gary Wasson, Stanley Hawthorne, Cliff Davey, Dick Deschamp, and Bill Singer. Back row from left, BAC North Central Regional Director Steve Baily, Harry Hieb and Victor Swallow, SDADC Vice President Lowell Dethlefs, Jerry Kermmoade, Bernie Ness, Charlie Ness, Terry Hansen, SDADC Director Douglas Severson, and Steve Kroger.

April 2011 marked the 100th Anniversary of Local 4 South Dakota. To commemorate this historic milestone, the Local hosted a celebration for members and retirees in Rapid City, SD on April 30th.

Throughout its proud history, Local 4 has played a major role in shaping the development of the masonry-trowel trades in West River South Dakota, an area extending from the Wyoming border, east to the Missouri River, and from the North Dakota border south to Nebraska.


Long-time members were honored at the celebration for their dedicated Union service. Front row from left, Local 4 SD President Gary Wasson, 65-year member Stanley Hawthorne, SDADC Vice President and 46-year member Lowell Dethlefs, and raffle winner and 60-year member Dick Deschamp. Back row from left, BAC North Central Regional Director Steve Bailey, Local 4 Vice President John Jansen, BAC Regional Representative Paul Nagel, and SDADC Director Douglas Severson.

Working with its signatory contractors, Local 4 has successfully negotiated fair wages, safe working conditions and a secure retirement for its members.


The Grabow family represents three generations of Local 4 bricklayers. From left, Tracy Grabow, Eric Grabow, and Maynard Grabow.

“Our founding brothers showed that you didn’t need hundreds of members as long as you have a few that believed that working together will accomplish more than working alone,” said Douglas Severson, Director of the South Dakota Administrative District Council (SDADC). Today, in addition to seven apprentices, the Local’s membership includes forty-seven journeyman, six 40-year members, and nine lifetime members. “They have kept the dreams and hopes of our founding members alive and strong,” Severson added.