Bryon Noem

Bryon Noem is a farmer, rancher, and insurance professional. He owns and manages Noem Insurance, a South Dakota agency focused on crop insurance and property protection. He also operates an ice cream shop and a hunting lodge with Kristi Noem.

After graduating from Northern State University, Noem worked on his family's ranch and helped manage a family restaurant. He later joined Bryant State Bank in 2003, where he managed its insurance agency. In 2010, he purchased the agency and turned it into Noem Insurance.

Noem grew up on a farm in Hamlin County, between Bryant and Lake Norden, South Dakota. His childhood included farm work such as hauling bales, cleaning barns, and pitching hay. He attended Hamlin High School and graduated from Northern State University with a degree in business and finance.

Noem and Kristi Noem attended the same high school, where he was friends with her older brother. They began dating when Kristi was a high school junior and Bryon was a college freshman. Their shared background in farming and ranching became an important part of their life together.

Bryon Noem was the First Gentleman of South Dakota while Kristi Noem served as governor from 2019 to 2025. He supported her public career while continuing to manage business, ranch, and family responsibilities in South Dakota.

The couple married in Watertown, South Dakota, on May 23, 1992. They have three children, Kassidy, Kennedy, and Booker. Kristi Noem has also described Bryon as closely involved in caring for their children and maintaining the household and ranch while her political duties kept her away.