STURGIS – Sturgis native and former Sturgis City Council member Aaron Jordan says he has a deep-rooted connection with the community and wants to foster a more united Sturgis as he takes the role of Sturgis’s first City Administrator.

Jordan, who has served in the National Guard and on active duty for 35 years, has a long-standing commitment to service — a value he said he carried into his tenure on the City Council and will do so as City Administrator.

Jordan said his inspiration for taking a more active role in civic duties came from his high school government teacher, Francie Ruebel-Alberts. While serving his three-year term on the city council, Jordan said he focused on bridging gaps within the community.

"Over the years, I've seen divisions in our community, perhaps more than usual,” he said. “My goal has always been to lessen these divides and work towards a more united community where we collectively understand our identity and future.”

He believes that trust, transparency, and honesty are foundational to achieving this unity.

Jordan said that collaborative efforts with fellow council member and now Sturgis Mayor Kevin Forrester have been particularly impactful in shaping a shared vision for Sturgis’s future.

"We’ve bonded over our mutual goals for the community, focusing on how we can achieve a greater sense of unity and purpose among our residents," Jordan said.

Jordan has a rich background in leadership, strategic problem-solving, and team building, combined with extensive educational qualifications that make him the ideal person to lead Sturgis in a positive direction as the city’s first City Administrator, Mayor Forrester said.

Jordan was one of 10 applicants for the City Administrator position who quickly rose to the top of the candidate pool. He is a seasoned, committed, and reliable professional with extensive experience spanning over three decades, predominantly in management and leadership roles.

Jordan said his motivation to apply for the City Administrator position was to make a difference in his community.

He said his priorities as city administrator include transparency in government, building a strong foundation of trust for the community, building relationships and engaging with the public, and planning for the future of Sturgis.  Building a comprehensive, strategic plan for the city will go a long way toward accomplishing those goals, he said.

Jordan has a strong track record in navigating significant organizational changes and challenges. And he also is proven in building high-performing teams and fostering an effective and positive organizational culture.

"I am certain that Aaron’s comprehensive background in administration and leadership will allow him to adeptly oversee the City of Sturgis’s administrative tasks from the outset and lead us on a positive path in the near future,” Forrester said.

Jordan began his military service in 1984 with the SDARNG's 842nd Engineer Company. After graduating and commissioning through ROTC at Black Hills State University in Spearfish in 1991, Jordan served on active duty in the U.S. Army.

Beginning in 1992, he spent nine months at Fort Benning, Ga., completing the Infantry Officer Basic Course and other infantry-associated courses. In September 1992, he and his wife, Cheryl moved to Germany for a three-year tour where Jordan had assignments as platoon leader and support platoon leader in 4-12 Infantry Battalion (Mechanized), and executive officer in the 89th Transportation Company. A highlight was leading his Bradley platoon to the highest Table VIII score in the brigade with an average score of 998 out of 1,000.

After separating from active duty in late 1995, Jordan rejoined the SDARNG in April 1997 where he held numerous positions to include platoon leader and commander in the 842nd En. Co., numerous staff assignments in the 109th Engineer Battalion, 109th Regional Support Group and Joint Force Headquarters, and commander of the 152nd Combat Support Sustainment Battalion in Pierre from May 2009 until September 2011.

In 2003, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 109th En. Bn. and was awarded the Bronze Star for his performance.

Jordan began his SDARNG full-time career in 2000 as a training officer with the 109th En. Bn. in Sturgis. He held follow-on assignments as administrative officer for both the 109th En. Bn. and 109th Regional Support Group in Rapid City.   In 2009 Jordan was assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters where he held the following assignments until his retirement in September 2020; Director of Military Support, Deputy Director and Director, Human Resources Officer, Director of Plans, Operations, & Readiness, and Director, United States Property and Fiscal Operations.

Jordan earned a Master of Science from University of South Dakota in administrative studies in 2005 and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the Army War College in 2014. He also has earned a Bachelor of Science in Composite Major in Social Science from Black Hills State University, Spearfish, where he was honored as the Army ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. You can find Jordan’s resume here and his letter of interest here

Jordan and his wife, Cheryl (Rambow) live in Sturgis. They have three grown children, John, Andy and Mya.