Rhea Crane has been appointed as the Meade County Director of Equalization and Planning after the retirement of long-time Director, Kirk Chaffee.
Crane, a lifelong Meade County resident, graduated from Faith High School and attended SD School of Mines in Rapid City.
During her educational studies at the SD School of Mines, she moved to Sturgis and started her career with the Meade County Equalization Office as a part time temporary employee. From there she moved through various office positions, serving as the Deputy Director since 1991. During her 30 tenure, Crane has accumulated a vast knowledge of county government, and has been dedicated to serving Meade County citizens. She looks forward to continuing to do so, following her long time friend and mentor who has been elected to represent District 29 in the SD House of Representatives.
She holds a SD Certified Assessor Appraiser license, and has completed numerous classes sponsored by associations such as SD Department of Revenue, International Association of Assessing Officers, Professional Appraisers Association of SD, American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers, and ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute). Crane was recently elected as treasurer of the SD Association of Assessing Officers.
Crane is the mother of three adult children, all very active as Scoopers and Sturgis Brown High School graduates. Her daughter, Mariah and son Ryan are married and have blessed her with 4 grandchildren. Her youngest son Connor is attending college at Dakota Wesleyan University as a basketball athlete. Crane’s husband, Mike Friedel, is an educator and basketball coach for Meade School District.
Her community involvement includes being a member of the Sturgis City Council, past president and treasurer for Sturgis Booster Club, past board member and treasurer for both Post 33 Legion Baseball and Sturgis Little League.
Crane believes in giving back to the community that has treated her well. “I have appreciated living in Meade County and the benefits of raising my family here. I will continue serving Meade County citizens with experience, dedication, and efficient public service as the Director.”
