Larry Thompson joins SDSTA Board of Directors

Larry Thompson, was appointed to the South Dakota Science and Technology (SDSTA) Board of Directors in July by South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden. SDSTA was created in 2004 by the South Dakota Legislature as the owner and operator of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). 

Larry D. Thompson, PE, is the founder and Executive Director of Vantage Point Solutions, a national engineering and consulting firm based in Mitchell, South Dakota. He co-founded the company in 2002 and has grown it from a staff of six to more than 600 employees serving over 1,200 clients across 46 states and internationally, providing engineering, regulatory, and business consulting services to the broadband, energy, and banking industries. 

A licensed professional engineer in more than 20 states, Thompson has held engineering and leadership roles at TRW, CyberLink Corporation, and Martin Group, spanning satellite systems, fiber and wireless broadband, and related technologies. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, has served as an expert witness in utility and legal proceedings, and completed two terms on the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. 

Active in South Dakota community and education leadership, he has served on the Mitchell Christian School Board, Mitchell Area Development Corporation Board of Directors, the Board of Trustees of Dakota Wesleyan University, the South Dakota Transportation Commission, and as Chairman of the Board of As One Ministries. Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from William Jewell College and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas.

“Larry’s exceptional track record includes decades of industry leadership and service to his community. His degree in physics, his experience as a professional engineer, and his time as a tech sector trailblazer is a real assert to the mission of advancing world class science and inspiring learning across generations at SURF,” said Casey Peterson, SDSTA Board Chair.

“Larry brings an incredible skillset as both a national leader in the high-tech sector and an entrepreneur who understands the challenges of managing and growing a technology corporation with a global impact,” said Mike Headley SDSTA executive director and SURF laboratory director. “We look forward to the insight and acumen he will bring to SDSTA leadership.”

Thompson fills the seat held by Roger Musick, CEO of Innovative Systems in Mitchell, SD, who served the SDSTA Board of Directors from 2018-2026.