Jim Hagen

Jim Hagen has proudly served as South Dakota’s Secretary of Tourism since 2011, leading the industry with vision, energy, and a deep love for the Mount Rushmore State. Fourteen years later, his passion for welcoming the world to South Dakota is as strong as ever.

Before joining Travel South Dakota, Secretary Hagen spent four and a half years as National Fundraising and Public Relations Director for the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. He also served as South Dakota’s Secretary of Tourism and State Development (2004–2006) and as Chief of Staff and Special Advisor to Governor Bill Janklow (1995–2002).

Under his leadership, South Dakota’s tourism industry has consistently reached new heights for more than a decade. During the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, his team launched a bold marketing strategy that placed South Dakota among the nation’s top three tourism performers and made it the first state to fully recover to pre-pandemic spending levels. The results speak for themselves:

• 2023: 14.7 million visitors and a record $4.7 billion in visitor spending
• 2024: 14.9 million visitors and more than $5 billion in visitor spending—the highest in state history

Secretary Hagen’s leadership extends well beyond South Dakota. He has served multiple terms on the National Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, chaired the National Council of State Tourism Directors, and currently chairs the Western States Tourism Policy Council. He also serves on the executive board of the U.S. Travel Association.

During his tenure, Travel South Dakota has earned numerous national accolades. The 2023 “So Much South Dakota, So Little Time” campaign was named the best integrated tourism marketing campaign in the country. The same year, the Corn Kid public relations campaign won top national honors, and in 2024, the department’s Forever 605 stewardship initiative received a prestigious Mercury Award as best in the nation.

Hagen’s personal honors include being named National State Tourism Director of the Year (2014) and receiving the Ben Black Elk Award (2021), South Dakota’s highest tourism honor. A proud native of northeastern South Dakota, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California.

Beyond the numbers, Secretary Hagen measures success by the communities strengthened, the traditions preserved, and the smiles of travelers who fall in love with South Dakota.