South Dakota Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense program, announced that D.r Konard Hauffe, DDS, with North Main Dental in Brookings, was honored with a Patriot Award in recognition of extraordinary support of his service member employee.

The Patriot Award, created by ESGR, publicly recognizes individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, who, like the citizen warriors before them, have answered their nations call to serve.

Sara Cantine said that she nominated Hauffe, who is also a retired colonel from the South Dakota Army National Guard, because he is constantly praising me for my service.He goes above and beyond to ensure I am able to have time off for drill or needing to leave early.He has never questioned my service and is one of my biggest supporters. I probably would not have re-enlisted if I did not have the support of Dr. Hauffeand my family.

Konard Hauffe, D.D.S., is the doctor and owner of North Main Dentistry in Brookings, SD. His family originates from South Dakota, although he graduated from Oakton High School in Vienna, VA. Dr. Hauffe received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Minnesota in 1988. He did undergraduatestudies at SDSU, completing his undergraduate work at the University of Minnesota where he earned a bachelor ofscience in microbiology and a bachelor of arts in theatre.

His various professional work at home and withdeployments with the South Dakota Army National Guardand the U.S. Army -- especiallyto less privileged parts of the world -- have shown himthat the dental health care needs of the human existence have less to do with the perfect dental aesthetic as it does with the best attainable health. The healthy smile comes from the healthy spirit and family. What dentistry does to assist that unique realization is an individual issue and a part of the society in which people live. He believes that hispart is to make that happen -- and he does,no matter where he is.

He and his family have been a part of the Brookingcommunity for nearly 30 years. He is married to Penny and they have fourgrown children, and 8 grandchildren. Any involvement or associations (other than the above) to mention?