Lake Area Technical College remains a standout as one of the top community colleges in the nation since they were crowned such by the Aspen Institute in 2017. Lake Area Technical College’s mission of providing comprehensive technical education that changes lives and launches careers, not only tells what they do, it tells WHY they do it. Coupled with Mike’s redefinition of student success from just graduation to placement Lake Area Tech’s return on investment for students, the State, and industry partners is unrivaled. Due in large part to President Mike Cartney’s efforts, South Dakota's whole technical education system now enjoys national prominence alongside Lake Area Tech's national prominence in areas such as student graduation, retention, and placement. Mike wants Lake Area Technical College to "continue to be the leader in technical education for engaging with business, industry, and all levels of education." Safety and the highest level of quality remain priorities and Lake Area Tech is continuously designing new ways to reach students and teach technical skills.

Mike, the "middle child" of six, grew up in rural Presho, Pukwana, Draper, Murdo, and Pierre until 1966 and 1970. Mike's rural upbringing shaped his religion, honesty, accountability, hard work, respect, and selflessness. Mike transformed student achievement at Lake Area Tech and modelled respect, putting people first, and doing the right thing. "College is a journey, not a destination" and "Success is placement, not simply graduation" became national mantras for him.

The White House, Forbes, NYT, and TIME have praised Mike’s efforts to enhance student outcomes, strengthen corporate and community relationships, and promote community colleges. Mike was called by Senator John Thune to discuss the skilled labor shortage. And Lake Area Tech is only the 93rd college in the history of the nation ot have a sitting U.S. President as their commencement speaker in 2015. Mike was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame class of 2020.

Mike Cartney is an admirable boss as he gives his employees a lot of autonomy. He encourages and guides them through adversity, and he applauds success. Mike is straightforward and forthright, and he softly deflects issues as they arise. His colleagues hold him in high regard, and he is frequently sought out for guidance because of his openness and commitment to being accessible. He is quick to lend a hand to those in need and is quietly philanthropic. Mike stresses to all employees that they are empowered to "Do the Right Thing." “We also stress that student success is everyone’s job. Every employee at LATC understands that supporting and believing in students is key to their success, and we all strive to connect with and support students”, says Mike.

For Mike, culture is an ever-changing, ever-perishable commodity that requires constant nurturing. Our organization is well-rounded in terms of material and presentation, but culture is difficult to quantify and evaluate, yet we all "know culture when we see it." To instill the values and cultures, we seek; we make use of mentoring, storytelling, and tangible examples from the workplace and the wider world. Mike assures that these values are shared with all new students and staff at orientation and on an ongoing basis.

Lake Area Technical College needs to be highly visible to prospective students, current students, and business partners to continue growing and developing relationships for placement of graduates. “We utilize all avenues of marketing but have become very reliant on digital and social media. We are student-focused and industry/community-focused too. We redefined success as placement, not graduation, because we see college as a pathway, not a destination,” asserts Mike.

Community colleges are first responders to workforce needs. Tightly knit student cohorts with clearly defined graduation tracks and industry-trained teachers have been a success formula in SD's technical colleges for more than 50 years. LATC provides an entry-level employee who is high-quality, highly competent, and well-rounded in foundational skills. “Training and equipping teachers is crucial for us,” says Mike.

As the demographics of the workforce change with AI and technology, the industry must rethink postsecondary education. Many believe by 2030 that 90% of jobs in the US economy will require education beyond high school. Cartney says his school's focus on "hire education" has enabled them to put 99% of graduates in high-paying jobs and graduate 70% to 80%.Lake Area Tech makes education relevant and when students can see a profitable future after college, they invest more in their studies.

Lake Area Technical College was a three-time finalist for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Its graduation and job placement rates among two-year and technical schools are outstanding. Lake Area Tech executives accepted the national award and $600,000 top prize in 2017. 74% degree completion, 80% retention, and 99% job placement are impressive.

Mike closes his remarks by stating, “Our number one issue for our key stakeholders is the workforce. We will keep adding more students and changing the programs we offer to meet the changing needs of South Dakota's skilled technical workforce. And when we do that in a way that has great return on investment for the students, industry and the community, everyone wins.”