Bruce’s childhood days were spent in Iowa, living on a farm near a town called Clarion. The family had a full complement of cows, pigs, chickens and sheep, so chores and field work began for the children at an early age. When Bruce was 14, his father went back to college, eventually selling the farm so he could spend the rest of his life serving his friends and neighbors as a minister of churches in Iowa, Illinois and Montana. Working on a farm is an exceptional teacher of discipline and responsibility, giving Bruce a strong foundation which has served him well over the years.
After his second year in College, Bruce moved with his family to Havre, Montana where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from the University of Montana, Northern. Upon graduation, a local banker recruited him to join First Bank System as an officer trainee. Hence began a 44 year career in the banking industry. Over that time Mr. Rampleberg has held the position of President in three of the seven institutions for which he was employed and sat in the honorable position of Chairman for three different banking boards. This experience has led him to his current home as the Vice President of Public Relations for First Interstate Bank in Rapid City, South Dakota.
His professional experience have allowed Bruce to hone skills in development of Strategic Plans, Budget Balancing, Employee selection and management as well as the ability to establish and organize effective teams to ensure a profitable venture for shareholders. This includes starting a new business with a couple fo partners and proudly partnering as an owner of American State Bank.
Bruce chose South Dakota for his family home because “the people here share my beliefs”. Bruce believes in the values that have made Rapid City, and all of South Dakota strong for so many years; a man’s word is his bond, you treat others as you would like to be treated, respect all God’s creation regardless of differences, help the less fortunate and do everything to the best of your ability. These are the values instilled in Bruce in childhood, and these are the values he will carry to the South Dakota State Senate seat.
Fulfillment, for Bruce, lies in helping others. Early in his banking career, service opportunities began coming his way. Usually, the topics concerned a community issue that he felt was important, which made it important to him to get involved. Over the years, the number and weight of the opportunities grew and now, with the convenience of semi-retirement, Bruce has devoted even more time to these worthy projects. Running for the District 30 Senate Seat is a natural progression of his civic-minded career.
Bruce looks forward to a bright future for Rapid City and South Dakota, and he is honored to be a participant in that growth.
