Chief Aaron Lorimor’s jurisdiction is distinct from all others: There are only two state inspectors – Chief Aaron and his deputy inspector, Travis, who happens to be Aaron’s eldest son.
“We both answer directly to the state fire marshal,” Aaron explains.
“I’m not his boss, and Travis likes to give me a hard time about it, saying, ‘You can’t tell me what to do,’” Aaron laughs.
The father-son collaboration began in 2016. Prior to that, Aaron managed all state inspections singlehandedly across vast South Dakota. But tackling a tough job is in his DNA.
Aaron grew up on a remote ranch about 80 miles from the small town of Vernal, Utah, the youngest of four siblings. His parents were cattle ranchers, and the family lived deeply connected to the land. His childhood was unconventional – there was no running water or electricity, and the family raised their own feed.
“It was literally a backwoods, sticks type of place,” Aaron recalls. “But it was an awesome time of my life. There was so much freedom. My dad bought me my first .22 rifle when I was 8 years old. I had my own horse, so I could just take off whenever I wanted to hunt or explore.”
The family left the ranch when Aaron was 10, but the independent, self-sufficient lifestyle would influence Aaron throughout the rest of his life.
His career path into the boiler and pressure vessel industry started when Aaron became employed as a pipe welder and fitter for Zanes Oilfield Service in Utah between 1985 and 1989. When the oil field jobs fell apart, he and his father visited his grandfather, Daniel Porter Lorimor Sr., in Oregon. Aaron found a good job with Dewald Northwest and stayed for nearly 19 years. “I worked on a variety of projects at Dewald, from structural components to bear-proof garbage cans for Yellowstone National Park.”
When Aaron moved to Oregon in ‘89, he took someone with him – his young bride, Candace. The two met when they were 14 years old while attending junior high school in Utah. Their friendship turned to romance, and they were married when they were 18. The pair have been together ever since and are still the best of friends. They have four adult children: sons Travis, Devin, and Davis, and a daughter, Letha Rose. They also have three cherished grandchildren.
The next phase of his career began when the Lorimor family moved to South Dakota in 2008 to be closer to Candace’s parents. Aaron became employed at Adams Pipe & Vessel as a welder/project manager/quality control manager. A few years into the job, he met Ira Hinkle, then South Dakota chief inspector. “Ira came to our shop. We did inspections for the National Guard, and he verified the information,” he explains.
In 2012, Ira offered Aaron a job with the state, and Aaron accepted. When Hinkle retired in 2015, Aaron was promoted to chief.
Aaron holds an IS Commission and an R Endorsement. He and Travis inspect around 4,000 items yearly from the approximate 15,600 pieces of equipment in the state, splitting the busy travel schedule between them. Through his years on the job, Chief Lorimor’s key piece of advice is to never get into a hurry. “If you get into a hurry, you could overlook important details in your inspection. And always stick to the boiler code,” he adds.
Chief Lorimor says mining is expanding in South Dakota, which will impact the future of his jurisdiction. “There are about 1,200 open mining projects going on in the Black Hills,” he reports. “With this resurgence, one challenge will be keeping up with regulations and new technology. The National Board is key to that support because they’re on the front lines and see all the new equipment before we do.
“For example, Miura America is the largest boiler manufacturer in the world, and I’d never seen a Miura boiler until two years ago when Ed Verderose (NBBI Advisory Committee member) did a presentation at the October Members’ Meeting (in 2023). It was very informative and explained what was needed to inspect them and how they are designed.
“The National Board gives the members a stable platform to run our program and gives us guidance when we need it,” Lorimor continues. “I can talk to anybody and get information. My boss, Paul Merriman, is very supportive of our work, too. If Travis or I need anything, he gets it for us. And anytime training is involved, he’s more than willing to support us. I get strong support from both the state and the National Board. It’s perfect.”
Lorimor’s work extends beyond state inspections. He also runs his own business performing inspections for federal facilities, including VA hospitals and federal buildings, and collaborating with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education to conduct inspections on the reservations.
“One thing I like about my job is the people I get to meet. I was not a very sociable person until I started this job – it kind of forced me to be. I’m not always comfortable with it, but it’s been a good byproduct of the job,” he says.
Throughout his life, Aaron has leaned into big, do-it-yourself projects – characteristic of his independent upbringing. When he and Candace moved to Oregon, he built a garage and then added on to their home. When they moved to South Dakota, he took on an even bigger venture: they bought a three-and-a-half acre plot and lived in their camper for three years while they built their 3,300-square-foot home from the basement up.
“We had a company dig for us, and then I did all the forms and poured all the concrete. We worked our way up from there,” he explains.
“Candace did most of the staining, painting, and some of the drywall. Devin and I did all the rest.” The house was finished in 2011.
“I’m proud that we buckled down and got it done while working full-time jobs. I’d always wanted to build my own home, and we did it. We set it up the way we wanted. It’s ours.”
Another pastime reminiscent of his childhood days on horseback, Aaron is an avid motorcyclist and rides as much as he can. Last fall, he embarked on a memorable ride to meet fellow biker and Colorado Chief Bob Becker. Both men traveled roughly seven hours, converging in Cody, Wyoming.
When he’s not on the job, working on a home project, or riding across the American West, Aaron has other projects he’s passionate about. “I love to rebuild old cars. I did a lot of that back in Oregon and Utah. I also cut gemstones as a hobby,” he says. “I facet stones that go into rings and other jewelry. Grandpa Daniel got me into it. He did it for 40 years and made quite a life for himself from it.”
Aaron remembers his grandparents fondly. “When we lived in Oregon, we did a lot of hiking and fishing in the mountains. My grandpa hiked with us when he was in his 80s. He was slow, but he still did it. My grandparents on both sides had great work ethics that made an impact on me. And I love all the stories they would tell.”
Back at their homestead, Aaron and Candace keep busy with their collection of pets. “We have four miniature ponies, a chicken, seven dogs, and two cats. And if you want to count the wildlife, we are visited by multiple deer and turkeys that come into our yard,” he shares.
“I don’t have a hard time here in South Dakota,” Lorimor reflects. “Things run smoothly. There are good people in South Dakota. It’s peaceful.”