Brett Stenson retires from SURF with a wealth of knowledge

Brett Stenson’s first trip underground took place nearly 50 years ago, on a visit to the former Homestake Mine as a student at South Dakota Mines. “1975 was the first time we took a trip up here with the geology department at Mines. We went down, saw the Four Winz Hoistroom and Six Winz and the 4850. I came up here with Dr. Bill Roggenthen who was a new professor at Mines back then,” Stenson recalled.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering and a master’s degree in engineering management from Mines, Stenson spent more than 20 years as a project engineer with RESPEC. During his time there, he worked on projects for Barrick Gold and contributed to the proposal that ultimately established SURF. “I didn’t do a whole lot in establishing the lab, but I did do some ground control things, and I remember working with Dr. Gowen from South Dakota Mines at the time. Professors were coming in from overseas and just asking a lot of questions about the process of installing large experiments underground. So, I’ve had an interest and connection to this site for a long time,” he said.

His career also took him to New Mexico, where he supported the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, working closely with Sandia National Laboratories. Later, Stenson spent more than three years with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). “I worked for them for a little over three and a half years, which was a good experience. It was interesting. And I learned a lot about different mines,” he said. “That MSHA experience and my engineering background were helpful for me to get this job at SURF, because they were looking for some of that MSHA background to go with the engineering and safety experience.” 

At SURF, Stenson played a critical role in environment, safety and health initiatives, supporting major infrastructure projects including shaft work, water line replacements, and facility upgrades. He credits his coworkers and the whole team at SURF for making the job meaningful and safe for everyone. 

“The people are so conscientious. I mean, like, couldn’t work with better people than what we work with here at SURF,” said Stenson. “It's a team, it absolutely is, the strong safety record at SURF has a lot more to do with the people doing the work everyday than the people who go out there and give them the tools. The people at SURF are all smart, and they know what they're doing. They see a problem, they address it. It's fun to watch how they solve challenges every day.”

Julie Ewing, director of environment, safety, and health at SURF, praised Stenson’s contributions. “Over the years, Brett has been an incredible team member, bringing a keen sense of humor, exceptional skill, and dedication to everything he did. He will be missed, both for his professionalism and his ability to brighten every workday,” said Ewing.

As he looks toward retirement, Stenson said he is eager to spend more time with his wife, Stephanne and their four children, most of whom live near Rapid City. Reflecting on his career, he offered simple advice for those who will follow in his footsteps: “I would just pay attention, listen to the people on the ground who are doing the work, because they’re doing it every day,” Stenson said. “It still surprises me that as a trained observer, how I can walk right by something sometimes and not notice.  It’s the things you see every day. Then somebody new will come along and ask, ‘Well, how about that thing? Is that safe?’  It's like, you know, maybe it's not. We looked at it 100 times, but sometimes it takes fresh eyes also to see these things. So, listen to the people on the ground, this is the key thing for safety all the way around.”

For Stenson, the true reward of his work has always been the people. “It was just a privilege for me to work here. You come for the site, because it’s home. The site has its historic significance. But you leave SURF having made connections with the people who were great to work with, and that’s what really matters.”