Tyler Tordsen is the President & CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance, South Dakota’s largest regional non-profit economic development organization. In this role, Tyler oversees the day-to-day operations of SMGA’s staff and mission in its efforts to serve its 16 member municipalities, 4 counties, and multiple chambers of commerce, economic development offices and more in the Sioux Metro.
Before taking his new role with SMGA, Tyler spent eight years serving in the Office of U.S. Senator Mike Rounds as the Southeast Regional Director and State Director of Tribal Affairs. His duties included helping South Dakotans through issues arising with the federal government, promoting communication to and from the Senator’s office and overseeing the operations and management of Senator Rounds’ Sioux Falls office.
He is a lifelong South Dakotan who was born in Sioux Falls, grew up in Rapid City and is an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe. He has a Bachelors of Science in political science and economics from the University of South Dakota, where as an undergraduate served as the president of the USD Student Body, Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and Tiospaye Student Council.
Tyler was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives for District 14 and is a member of the House Education and House Judiciary Committees. He also serves as a commissioner to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact representing South Dakota, along with being selected as a 2023 National Conference of State Legislatures Youth Homelessness Fellow. In October 2023, Tyler was chosen as a “50 Under 50” of up-and-coming state legislators in the nation by the American Legislative Exchange Council. He serves on the Sioux Falls YMCA Board of Directors and the USD Alumni Association Board of Directors and is also a member of the Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary Club.
Tyler, his wife Erika, and their two sons Emmett and Atlas currently live in Sioux Falls.