February 26, 2021
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–The donor of a one million dollar gift to be put toward construction of a new ice arena in Watertown has been identified.

The gift comes from First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard.

The donation was first announced at a city council meeting last week, but at the time, the donor wished to remain anonymous.

First PREMIER Bank CEO Dana Dykhouse said the gift is part of his organization’s commitment to supporting the people and communities it serves.

Dykhouse said, “things like parks and athletic facilities are important quality of life features. They make a community vibrant and help attract new people and businesses.”

First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard have a history of supporting philanthropic ventures in the community. In 2016, the organization provided a $500,000 gift to create the PREMIER Softball Complex in southeast Watertown.

First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard are one of Watertown’s largest employers with nearly 400 employees. The company supports nearly 700 organizations and its leadership team and employees have donated more than $1.5 billion to South Dakota entities since 1995.