Services will be this Thursday for a long time Huron resident with many accomplishments including founding a large community banking institution, a noted philanthropist, civic and community leader. Ninety six year old Paul Christen of Huron past away on July 27th. Paul was a lifelong philanthropist who would say “we want to leave something for future generations, we give to people we will never see, people we will never know”. Paul earned many awards served time as the director and chairman of the South Dakota Investment Council in Sioux Falls, was founder and served as chairman of the South Dakota Community Foundation established in 1987. The South Dakota Community Foundation continues to distribute grants to various projects and non- profit organizations annually, the current assets of the Foundation are $940 million. The list of his involvements is extensive, Paul and Donna Christen had two daughters, Rebecca Pohlad and Kathryn Ramstad. Kathryn talks about what drove her father to become a central part of community investing.
Paul’s original success in the bakery business expanded and he had his sights set higher with expansion into commercial and real estate with his life time partner and mentor the late Dr Paul Hohm of Huron. Christen would expand his business horizen further after meeting legendary Minneapolis banker and financier Carl Pohlad. Pohlad a longtime majority owner of the Minnesota Twins. In 1984 Paul Christen would become a minority investor in the Twins just a few years before the Twins won two World Series Championships in 1987 an 1991. Christen sold his investment in the club in 2003. Kathryn said philanthropy was a key part of her fathers background.
Kathryn tells what she felt her father’s recommendation would be for future generations.
Memorials for Paul Christen are preferred to the South Dakota Community Foundation and Dakota Wesleyan University. Services are Thursday August 14th 10:30 am at Faith Alive Community Church 2660 Dakota Avenue South in Huron.
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