Board of Directors
Guy Rusche, President of the Board
Guy Rusche is Board President of RCI-Rural Community Innovations. Guy started out his involvement with RCI as a staff member with the company for six years. He has helped develop business plans for more than 250 small business clients, helped many of them fund their plans, and assisted in creating some 1,500 rural jobs. He received a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science/Business from South Dakota State University in 1991 and worked in agricultural sales following graduation. For three years he headed the RCI Technical Assistance Service Center in Huron, South Dakota. Guy is active in his local church and is a leader in his children’s’ 4H club. He makes his living working in the alternative energy field.
David Lambert, Vice President of the Board:
David serves on the RCI board as Vice President as well as the Executive Vice President of the staff. Lambert comes to us after a long career in rural community life. His background is a perfect fit for the mission and goals of RCI.
He was the first staff member hired for the Southeast Enterprise Facilitation Project. He helped create a local community development corporation and assisted community members in the financial, marketing, and technical aspects of the business planning process. He also worked in the ethanol industry as Director of Site Development locating numerous Greenfield ethanol plants around the United States. David’s role included negotiating utility contracts, building community relations, working with government entities on development issues, including economic incentives, as well as coordinating the completion of 15 major due diligence factors prior to construction.
Harvey White Woman, Secretary/Treasurer of The Board
Mr. White Woman has been involved with the betterment of the Sioux people for many years. He has participated in youth rehabilitation programs and served tribal government as a liaison to the Federal government and to the State of South Dakota. He served as the Fifth Member office of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Currently he is Director of the Wawókiye Business Institute in Kyle on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
White Woman also has experience as a small business owner, operating a printing business since the late 1980s. He combines his personal love of history and the law with his professional skills and the necessities of running a small business while maintaining his tribal government-related workload. He travels frequently to seminars, meetings and conferences involving tribal law, treaties and their effects on the lives of the Oglala Sioux people.
Michael Utter, Director
Michael Utter is co-founder of RCI-Rural Community Innovations—founded to build development capacity in rural and American Indian communities. He is an economic development specialist who has secured more than $150 million in grant funding for community-based organizations. Utter has spent many years in strategic planning and market development for clients. He has over 30 years of experience consulting in marketing and business expansion in a variety of industries, and he has successfully fielded initial public offerings (IPO) for clients to capitalize new and expanding business ventures. He began his career as Assistant Director of Municipal Development for the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and served as Economic Development Director. Subsequently he worked with the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development in Los Angeles, California, where he headed the Hollywood Revitalization Community Development Corporation. In the 1980s he was the founding Executive Director of a large international medical relief agency and has consulted with many organizations for his extensive knowledge in non-profit marketing, fundraising, and operations. Utter now focuses his attention on rural entrepreneurship and private sector development in Native America.
RCI-Rural Community Innovations Montana Office & Headquarters: Montana Office & Headquarters: 605.352.6761 South dakota Offices: David Lambert david@rci-usa.org
210 Cirque Drive
Bozeman MT 59718
406.587.0783
e-mail: gary@rci-usa.org
Box 385 Parker, SD 57053
(605) 297-9100 Ph.
(605) 297-9102 Fx.
Pine Ridge Reservation Office:
Kimberly T. Brave Heart kim@rci-usa.org
PO Box 565 Kyle, SD
(605) 455-2009 Ph.
(605) 455-2987 Fx.