Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken is shaking things up a bit at city hall. 

Today he announced the appointment of Jason Reisdorfer to the ‘new’ position of Director of Innovation and Technology, formerly known as Central Services. 

TenHaken says renaming the department and appointing Reisdorfer will be crucial as the city continues to grow, especially in the areas of technology. 

Jason Reisdorfer will be new, but the department he’ll oversee will not. 

“We’ve rebranded what traditionally use to be called Central Services Department in the city and moved that to what we are now calling Innovation and Technology,” TenHaken said. 

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken says Reisdorfer will help lead the city as it adapts to 5G high speed internet access.  

“This will be this department’s responsibility to say what do we have to do to get 5G networks in Sioux Falls, what do we have to do to work with the cell carriers and wireless carriers, how will we make this a reality for our city,” TenHaken said. 

TenHakens says 5G will make Sioux Falls a ‘smart city.’  

He says 5G will help fight traffic congestion with adaptive traffic signals, autonomous vehicles and improve the way the city monitors and manages vital services, like public transportation. 

“In 2018 innovation and technology play a critical role in the entirety of our city,” TenHaken said.

Reisdorfer, who helped build one of the fastest-growing companies in South Dakota at Weisser Distributing, will replace Sue Quanbeck Etten who was appointed by Mayor Huether in 2010. 

Reisdorfer’s appointment still needs city council approval.  If approved he’ll be paid $147,000 a year.