Richard F. Kneip
| Richard F. Kneip | |
|---|---|
| 7th United States Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore | |
|
In office May 26, 1978 – September 25, 1980 |
|
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | John H. Holdridge |
| Succeeded by | Harry E. T. Thayer |
| 25th Governor of South Dakota | |
|
In office January 4, 1971 – July 24, 1978 |
|
| Lieutenant |
William Dougherty Harvey L. Wollman |
| Preceded by | Frank Farrar |
| Succeeded by | Harvey L. Wollman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 7, 1933 Tyler, Minnesota |
| Died | March 9, 1987 (aged 54) Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Nancy Pankey |
| Children | 8 |
| Profession | businessman |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1951-1955 |
Richard Francis "Dick" Kneip (January 7, 1933 – March 9, 1987) was the 25th Governor of South Dakota from 1971 until 1978. He was a member of the Democratic Party and the first Catholic Governor of South Dakota.
Kneip was born on January 7, 1933, in Tyler, Minnesota, to Berniece and Frank Kneip, who lived in Elkton, South Dakota. He was of Luxembourgish ancestry. He attended South Dakota State University and St. John’s University. He served in the U.S. Air Force and then owned a wholesale dairy equipment distributorship in Salem, South Dakota. He married Nancy Lou Pankey.
He served in the South Dakota Legislature as a State Senator from 1965 to 1971.
When Richard F. Kneip was elected governor of South Dakota in 1970, defeating the Republican incumbent Frank Farrar, he was only the fourth governor elected from the Democratic Party since statehood. Known to the state's voters as "Dick", Kneip gained popularity through his "people to people" campaigns. Kneip memorably launched his 1970 campaign for governor with radio ads asking "What is a Kneip?".
At the time he first took office, Dick Kneip became the youngest governor the state had elected. Kneip and his wife, Nancy, moved into the governor's mansion, along with their eight sons.
Kneip's first term was noted for major reform efforts. He successfully overhauled the organization of state government by creating a cabinet system. Kneip was re-elected in 1972, and became the last governor of South Dakota to serve a two-year term. He twice served two-year terms and then was elected to a final four-year term in 1974. This made Kneip the first governor to be elected three times.
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