SDHSAA Names Swartos as Next Executive Director
By NFHS/Capital Journal on January 12, 2017
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From the Capital Journal:
Dan Swartos, McCook (South Dakota) Central School District Superintendent will be the next executive director of the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA).
The SDHSAA board of directors announced the decision after an executive session at the board’s Wednesday meeting.
SDHSAA Board member Brian Maher, who led the search for a new executive director, said Swartos had a varied background as a successful coach, school administrator and member of the National Guard band.
“He rose to the top of a very good pool,” Maher said. Other finalists for the position included Avon School District Superintendent Tom Culver and Aberdeen Central High School Principal Jason Uttermark. Uttermark is also a member of the SDHSAA board.
Swartos is in his fifth year as superintendent at McCook Central in Salem. Before that, he spent four years as superintendent of the Big Stone City School District. He has coached football and wrestling at Brookings and football at McCook Central.
A National Guard member for 17 years, Swartos was deployed as a truck driver in the first Iraq War. He currently plays trumpet in the National Guard Army Band based in Mitchell.
“I’ve always been interested in athletics and the arts,” Swartos said. “This is a way to serve students of the state in a little different capacity.”
Swartos will replace executive director Wayne Carney who will retire at the end of the current school year.
