NORTHERN TODAY 18 SUMMER 2024 News | NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Alumni | NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY Kretchman Coaching Award Recipient Francis Zacher Bachelor of Science in education with a major in health and physical education FRANCIS ZACHER graduated from Northern State College in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Health and Physical Education. In 1972, he returned to NSC to complete his master’s degree and served as a graduate assistant at Northern State under the direction of legendary coach Bob Wachs. Zacher spent his professional career as a teacher, as well as football and basketball coach at high schools across South Dakota. He led the boys’ basketball programs at Fort Pierre, Eagle Butte, Gettysburg and Roncalli, posting a career record of 250-95. Zacher led Roncalli to the South Dakota State ‘A’ Basketball Championship in 1975 the first parochial school and smallest school in the division to win a state title. On the gridiron, Zacher’s teams from Fort Pierre, Gettysburg and Roncalli went 51-21 overall. Zacher’s honors throughout the years include 1975 National Association of Basketball Coaches Achievement Award, 1975 South Dakota Sportswriters High School Coach of the Year, 1998 Lakota Invitational Community Award and induction into the South Dakota High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2009. Following his coaching career, Zacher continued his passion for athletics as a high school official for both basketball and football in Western South Dakota. He is also an Army veteran, having been drafted shortly into his initial coaching job in Fort Pierre. Zacher’s late wife, Geraldine Payne Zacher, was also a Northern State College graduate, earning an education degree. They have four children: Jeff Zacher, M.D. (Phoenix, Arizona); Lisa Zacher, M.D. (Orlando, Florida); Scott Zacher, MFA (Chicago, Illinois); and Stacey Zacher Grajeda, RPh (El Paso, Texas). He has seven grandchildren. Zacher’s siblings (Bill, Sylvester, Clarence, James and Mary Jean) attended NSC. Zacher’s brother, Bill, is a 1976 member of the Northern State Athletics Hall of Fame. Distinguished Alumni/Philanthropist Award Recipient RON RIVETT was a charismatic leader, innovator and entrepreneur, most well known as co-founder of the Super 8 Motel and My Place Hotel chains. Born Aug. 2, 1940, Ron was a lifelong resident of Aberdeen, South Dakota. Ron graduated from Central High School in 1958 and went on to attend what was then Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1963. In 1990, Northern State University awarded Ron an honorary doctorate of humane letters for his contributions to the university and the Aberdeen community. After graduating college, Ron began his career in banking at First National Bank of Aberdeen (which later became Norwest Bank) working in the loan department and eventually taking a position in the trust department. In the latter of his nine years at the bank, Ron moonlighted in residential construction; a self-taught independent builder, Ron built his first home and went on to build several more homes and duplexes on the north side of Aberdeen. Upon leaving the bank in 1972, Ron pursued a career in the insurance business, obtaining a general agency in South Dakota with National Guardian Life Insurance Company. During an insurance sales call in 1973, entrepreneur and attorney Dennis Brown shared with Ron the challenges he was facing in launching a motel franchise comprised of existing “mom & pop” motels around the state of South Dakota. Upon Ron’s suggestion to focus on building new motels, Dennis and Ron partnered to create Super 8 Motels Inc. After opening the first Super 8 motel in Aberdeen in 1974, Ron and Dennis continued to grow the company through corporately owned and franchised units. Under Ron’s executive leadership, Super 8 motels developed into a vertically integrated enterprise comprised of construction, development, hotel management, product procurement, aviation and technology-focused business units. After 20 years of rapid expansion, Super 8 Motels Inc. had grown to over 1,000 franchised locations across the U.S. and Canada. In 1993, Ron sold the Super 8 franchise system, but continued as a hotel developer, builder and investor for the remainder of his life. In 2012, Ron leveraged his experience in launching and growing a hotel chain when he partnered with his grandson Ryan Rivett in founding a new hotel franchise system, My Place Hotels, focusing on the extended-stay hotel segment. Today, with over 100 franchises in the system, My Place continues to expand across the country. Aside from his drive and tenacity in business, Ron was an avid pilot, outdoorsman, farmer and rancher. Ron and his wife, Sharon, traveled the world for business and pleasure, always experiencing life in a big way. Ron held his hometown and state in the highest regard, and throughout his successful career and life he valued opportunities to promote and support the people and institutions he loved. RON RIVETT Bachelor degree in business administration, Honorary Doctorate of humane letters
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