At the beginning of his junior year of high school, he became an Edgemont Mogul. That same year, something else exciting happened to Jack. Laurel Erickson had moved to Edgemont. Her father Gene Erickson started up The Southern Hills Bank. So both being new students that year, I would imagine they became fast friends and started running around together.

In addition to ranching Jack's father, Jack, also was an area rodeo announcer. He traveled throughout the Midwest and was often disappointed in the sound equipment. So, he started his own sound company, Jack Hunter Sound. This enterprise grew to quite the operation. The younger Jack traveled on many of his dad's crews all across the middle of the country, he worked all summer either at the ranch or on the road until the end of his high school career.

After graduation, both Jack and Laurel attended South Dakota State University where they married in the winter of their sophomore year. Jack went on to graduate in 1973 with a bachelor's degree in Ranch Management. Following graduation, they both returned to the ranch to take over.

Jack and Laurel worked side by side at the ranch with cattle and ewes. They had three children, Kris, Ross and Alicia. Jack ranched and was very active in the local community of Edgemont, where he never knew a stranger and still doesn't. He was approached in 1980 by another young man, Doug Strotheide, who just had taken over management of the Crawford Livestock Auction to become a field representative. With Jack's knowledge of cattle and genuine demeanor he soon had many customers in the Southern Black Hills, taking their stock from Edgemont Livestock to the rival barn in Crawford.

Then in 1985, he was presented an opportunity to purchase the Edgemont Livestock Auction. He and Laurel took on the challenge without pause. In doing so, he was no longer a field representative for Crawford. He owned and operated the Edgemont barn for 4 years. Once again, Jack was approached by that same young man, Doug Strotheide, who was the manager but now was the owner of Crawford Livestock. He told Jack that he was taking all his business, so they may as well become partners. So it was to that, the two became business partners in the Edgemont & Crawford sale barns.

They successfully grew and ran both barns, when once again another opportunity presented itself. Gordon Livestock was being ran into a deficit. It went to a board of shareholders, who approached the Hunter & Strotheide duo to take that failing barn and turn it into a success. In 1992, Jack and Laurel moved themselves and their younger two children, Ross and Alicia, to Gordon. Kris had graduated high school and was attending college.

Shortly thereafter they made the decision to shut down the Edgemont barn. It was a small barn that had very small facilities.

Jack ran the Gordon country, tripling the head count that was being marketing at GLM. Shortly after he and Doug had the two barns up and running, they became reps for Western Video Market. This was a new dynamic riveting way to market cattle. Jack was never opposed to progress. He always wanted to make sure his customers were taken care of to the best of his ability.

In the early 2000's they took on a third partner and with that partner they took on a small feedlot operation. This was a way Jack felt he could help market support the cattle that came through the barn. Jack felt that just because someone didn't have load lots, but had damn good cattle, they should bring the market as well. He always made sure they did.

In 2003, Jack and Laurel bought out both partners and solely ran GLM & CLM. They then sold Gordon Livestock to focus all their time on Crawford Livestock. This also afforded him the opportunity to be closer to the ranch, which his only son Ross took over. Ross and his family still run the family homestead and his children are the 6th generation.

Jack has been in the cattle marketing business for 43 years. In that time he has volunteered countless hours selling 4-H sales, labor auctions and helping the community in any way he can. There isn't a better cattleman out there. He knows cattle and what they are worth. He is honest to a fault, but can get away like no one else teasing his customers from the auction block.

Laurel worked by his side for 53 years. All three of his children are involved in the business in some way which is a testament to Jack's passion for the business. His oldest Kris works in the office in the fall and busy spring sales on Fridays, which is our sale day. His son Ross sells for us and followed in his dad's foot steps as a true cattleman himself. His youngest daughter, Alicia and her husband Rich, bought the barn from them and are continuing the path of TRUE PRICE DISCOVERY.