The 7th Circuit Court Appointed Special Advocates program recently elected new officers to its board of directors, along with two new board members.

The new officers are Jim Gray, chairman, Craig Pfeifle, vice-chairman and Jack Kaup, secretary/treasurer.

The new board members are Emily Hendry and Christy Baumiller.

Jim Gray is the utilization superintendent at Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. in Rapid City and became a CASA volunteer in 2004. As a volunteer, Gray served on two cases, advocating for five children. He was elected to the board of directors in September 2006 and continues his service as chairman for a two-year term. He said, "I have a soft spot in my heart for young children and believe all children deserve a chance to grow up in a loving, nurturing home, especially those who have been abused and neglected. Our goal at CASA is to provide a voice in court for every child who needs one."

Craig Pfeifle is a shareholder of Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, where he has practiced civil litigation and appeals since 1988. Pfeifle is active in the community, serving on the 7th Circuit CASA board since November 2002; he has served on the personnel committee since 2004 and was elected vice-chairman for a two-year term.

Jack Kaup is the chief financial officer for Black Hills Surgery Center. He has been a member of the board of directors since December 2006 and serves in the offices of both secretary/treasurer and finance committee chairman. Kaup was re-elected to secretary/treasurer for a two-year term.

Emily Hendry joined the board in October. She is a registered sales assistant at US Bank. Hendry became involved with CASA "because it is amazing to see the difference CASA has made in our community assisting innocent children," she said.

Christy Baumiller joined the board this month. She is the agency supervisor at Assurant. Baumiller became a CASA volunteer in May 2000, serves on the special events committee and received the Wind Beneath Our Wings Award for outstanding performance as a volunteer in 2004.