The Hammerquist name has been around Rapid City since the early 1880s when Jay Hammerquist’s great-grandfather homesteaded a ranch east of the metro area. Growing up, Jay was immersed in agriculture by default, and really enjoyed the operations of it all.
His first job off the ranch didn’t stray too far from his normal chores, taking a position at Aby’s Seed & Feed.
“I would help mill and load grain a couple hours a week after school,” said Jay. “But it was my first real paycheck. Then in the summertime throughout college, I worked at Howard Johnson’s and taught tennis.”
Life for Jay Hammerquist has always been filled with dichotomies, and the contrast between what is perceived for life as a rancher to life as a tennis player is just the beginning.
After graduating South Dakota State University with a degree in ag business, Jay found a job in Washington DC working for the federal Small Business Administration assisting with business communications.
“It was completely different from what I was used to,” said Jay. “It was a big city working in government; it was my first job out of college, and it was just all so new to me.”
However, the challenge of exceeding expectations is what drove him to find success. After DC, Jay and his wife Theresa moved to North Carolina where he got his MBA, and then eventually began working for a consulting firm which took them to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
In this consulting role, Jay was able to work with leaders from a variety of industries on various scales of operations on their integrations and execution of goals.
“I’ve worked for many different leaders, and I’ve had the opportunity to coach many leaders, as well,” said Jay. “I’ve got so many data points in my head of what makes a great leader and not-so-great; what to do to succeed and what not to do—and I believe that has shaped me more than anything to the professional I am today.”
When Jay was able to move his family of five back to Rapid City, he was accepted into the role as CEO for Black Hills Orthopedic and Spine Center. For seven years, Jay worked alongside doctors and oversaw the commitment to care provided to patients at that facility.
In 2017, the opportunity to get back into operations consulting was presented and he took it. Flying throughout the country for clients in oil and gas, forestry and aerospace was his normality. He would work with leaders, mid-management teams, and frontline workers at factories, plants, and sites where employees are boots on the ground getting the work done.
“A lot of what I helped teams do is focused on operational enhancements and continuous improvement,” said Jay. “I coached on lean thinking, data analysis, problem-solving, and implementing the actions that these teams weren’t able to do themselves – whether it be due to resources, skills, or just too small of a team to do the work that needed to be done.”
In March 2025, Jay accepted the position as CEO of Rapid City Medical Center – eager to be back “home” and with a team to work towards the goals that are in front of him.
“I’m very grateful to be here,” said Jay. “As CEO, I report to a board of phenomenal physicians that all have ideas of excellence for this organization, and while my expertise isn’t in how doctors should practice medicine – my focus will be on aligning the organization and executing on our plans to meet the goals and vision for Rapid City Medical Center and the foundational impact it has on the Rapid City community.”
Throughout life’s trajectory of changes, opportunities, and milestones – maybe all of the experiences and talent accumulated throughout the years aren’t dichotomous after all. They have shaped Jay into a leader ready to take on a new goal to ensure RCMC sees continued success.
