Vic Alexander is 2011 ‘Citizen of the Year’

Citizen of the Year — When Vic Alexander isn’t busy promoting the community, running his businesses or taking care of his rental properties, he spends time with his family, seen here with granddaughters Zoe, 5, left, and Kylee, 4. Alexander considers himself lucky to have most of his relatives living in the area. “A day can’t go by without passing a family member,” he said. “I’m fortunate to see my children and grandchildren everyday. Who else can say that?” [Photo Courtesy of Hill City Volunteer Fire Department]

Victor Alexander is a man of many things: an entrepreneur, a family man, a business owner, promoter, humanitarian and a fixture in the Hill City community. Alexander is a friend to many, ready to help anyone who asks and someone who everyone can count on. For these reasons, and many more, the Hill City Prevailer-News has chosen Victor Alexander as Hill City’s Citizen of the Year.
“He’s a real go-getter in every sense of the word,” Denise Etzkorn, visitor information specialist at the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce, said. “He never expects anything from anyone if he couldn’t do it.”
“The great thing about him is that he is so involved and active in the community,” city administrator, Brett McMacken, said. “It’s hard to go around the city without passing him. He’s very well informed and well-rounded.”
Alexander was born in Keystone, but grew up in Belle Fourche. He and his family visited the Hill City area every weekend before permanently moving to the city while he was in the eighth grade. In college, Alexander studied biology and forestry at both South Dakota State University and Colorado State. Before starting his own company, Alexander worked for the Forest Service.
“I’ve always considered myself a natural leader,” he said.
This shows through his work efforts. Alexander, along with his wife, Sherryl, founded Alexander Enterprises in 1981 after business started to grow. Today, Alexander Enterprises oversees four full businesses and 17 rental properties, which includes: Exxon and Conoco gas stations, Super 8 Motel, Teddy Bear Town, Rico’s Mexican Restaurant, BBQ to Go, The Farmer’s Daughter, Central Hills Plumbing, Mickelson Trail Adventures, The Nelson Oil and Gas propane tanks, the car wash, some vacation rentals, campgrounds, houses and lots. They also helped start the Lutheran Church daycare in the ’80s as a way to provide childcare to the community.
“Hill City is a quaint community and I like to keep its image and perpetuate it that way,” Alexander said. “I feel it’s my responsibility to help keep it a neat, tidy mountain community.”
One way to achieve this is with communication throughout the community. Since 2004, Alexander had donated the use of the Super 8 Motel’s third floor conference room to local clubs, organizations and charities. The space, which can hold 80 people meeting style or 60 people banquet style, is rented out to groups, charities, clubs and non-profit agencies — as long as it somehow benefits the community. Paid groups, such as birthday, graduation and anniversary parties, reunions and seminars are also booked as well. According to Alexander, it averages out to one meeting a day throughout the entire year.
Some groups that have had meetings there include: Hill City Arts Council, Hill City Arts Alliance, Forest Service, Weed and Pest Committee, Heart of the Hills Quilt Guild, Garden Club, Economic Development Club, Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce, Black Hills Museum of Natural History, the Board of Education, United Blood Services, Hill City Prom Committee, Sturgis Rally Committee, the scrapbooking club and the local Boys Scouts troop. There have also been study groups for college nurses, Bible studies for various churches and even a community garage sale.
If the club or group helps promote communication and education throughout the community, the fee for the room is waved.
“If you’re part of that, there is a space for you to have meetings and conduct anything that helps to promote or educate Hill City,” Alexander said. “I feel communication is just one way to promote our community.”
Alexander also believes the most important thing about the community is its image.
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