April 08, 2008

LINCOLN, Neb. — Eric Brown, general manager of KRVN in Lexington, will be named the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement's 120th honoree at its annual banquet April 18.

The banquet honoring Brown and nine new members of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement will begin with a 5:15 p.m. social hour followed by a 6 p.m. buffet dinner at the Nebraska East Union on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus. The banquet costs $20 per person and is open to the public. The deadline for reservations is April 10. To make reservations or for more information, contact Linda Arnold at (402) 472-3802.

Brown became general manager of KRVN in 1979. He brought with him a background of experience and education in journalism to continue the family tradition his father, long-time KRVN general manager, the late Max Brown, began.

Under Brown's leadership, the Nebraska Rural Radio Association has grown to blanket the state with agricultural information with the purchase of KNEB in Scottsbluff in 1984 and KTIC in West Point in 1997. This Rural Radio Network is the only farmer-rancher-owned radio group in the U.S.

In 2005, Brown helped originate the Rural Lifestyle Marketing, LLC, a group of legacy stations covering 16 markets in the upper Midwest. He currently serves as president. Brown has served on more than two dozen statewide boards and was recently elected to serve on the board of directors for the National Association of Broadcasters. His term starts in June.

Brown received his bachelor's degree from UNL in 1967, his master's degree from the University of Missouri in 1968 and then taught at South Dakota State University. In 1975, he received his doctorate degree from Ohio University and returned to SDSU as director of educational media and manager of KESD.

His wife, Ruth, is an associate professor of communications at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. They have three children.

The Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement, formed in 1916, has about 200 members statewide dedicated to preserving and improving Nebraska agriculture. Each year, the group recognizes at least one honoree and elects new members. This year's new members are:

Homer Buell of Bassett is a leader in the ranching industry and an innovator in ranch management practices. He is past president of the Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Hereford and American Herford Association. He is active in several youth endeavors, including the Nebraska 4-H Foundation as president. He is a member of the Agriculture Builders of Nebraska Inc. and is active in several community organizations. Buell graduated from UNL in 1971.

James Barr of York is a farmer and public service leader. He was ag and natural resource assistant for Rep. Doug Bereuter from 1979 to 2001; Nebraska state director, USDA Rural Development from 2001 to 2005; and a member of the Soils and Water Conservation Society, Nebraska Angus Association and Nebraska Cattlemen. He holds memberships in other agricultural, professional and service organizations and has received recognition for service efforts as well as professional excellence. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from UNL.

Ann Bruntz of Friend is the University of Nebraska Foundation's IANR development director. She is a partner in the family's farming and cattle feeding operation, Bruntz Farming and Feeding Inc. She is past president of the Nebraska Cattlemen's Research and Education Foundation, past member of Agriculture Builders of Nebraska board of directors and former executive secretary of the Cattlemen's Ball of Nebraska Advisory Board. She is active in local and regional Chamber of Commerce initiatives. She also has traveled to Japan, China and South America on agricultural promotion efforts.

Douglas Gibson of Lincoln is the chief administrator and secretary/treasurer of Nebraska Farm Bureau and Affiliated Co. He joined Farm Bureau in 1981 and is highly regarded by leaders in agriculture, education, business and state government. He is a member of the Agriculture Builders of Nebraska and is a strong supporter of IANR and UNL. He served on the Nebraska 4-H Development Foundation, including a term as president, and is former chair of the Nebraska LEAD Council. He is active in many other professional, business or community organizations and has received recognition from several key organizations including the university, 4-H and FFA. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming.

Marvin Large of Imperial is a farmer/rancher who has made significant public service contributions. He served the Upper Republican Natural Resource District from 1975 to 1990. That NRD was the first to recognize and put to use management controls on groundwater allocations. His farming enterprise includes a cow-calf herd and selling bulls. He is a long-time advocate of records and planning, his seed stock is known for extensive records. He has been an innovator in artificial insemination and has received recognition for his portable AI barn that he and his wife, Arlene, manufacture and sell.

Don McCabe of Lincoln is editor of the Nebraska Farmer. A UNL journalism graduate, he began his career at the York News-Times. He has been with Nebraska Farmer since 1977. McCabe is a highly respected agricultural journalist and has received numerous awards for his work and in-depth reporting from numerous agricultural organizations, commodity boards and others, including the Nebraska Corn Board, American Agricultural Editors Association, UNL Extension, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association and Natural Resource District boards.

John Miller of Murdock is a petroleum engineer, farmer and small business owner. His production agriculture enterprise includes corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. Looking for a niche market, he began marketing high quality horse and dairy hay to diversify his operation. He also started a pet food business that employs more than 40 people. He is active in his community and has received several awards including Outstanding Nebraska LEAD Alumni as well as awards dealing with forage quality production and marketing. A UNL graduate, he is past president of the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association and Elmwood-Murdock School Board.

Earle Raun of Lincoln, entomologist, is the owner of Pest Management Consultants. Raun became head of the UNL's Department of Entomology in 1966. He played a key role in taking integrated pest management from the lab and test plots to farms in Nebraska and the region. He was associate dean of Extension in IANR from 1970-1974. In 1974, he resigned from UNL to create his own consulting firm based upon integrated pest management principals. He is a member of numerous professional groups and served as president of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants.

Carol Thayer of Lincoln is a retired UNL Department of Textiles Clothing and Design interim chair and extension specialist. She began her UNL Extension career in York County. She has been especially skilled and visionary at designing education programs to adjust emerging needs. She served more than 12 years as small scale entrepreneurship program coordinator. In 1992, she was a key force in developing the Nebraska Home Based Business Association. She has produced hundreds of programs, workshops and publications to improve the quality of life for Nebraskans. Among her awards is the UNL Distinguished Educational Service Award.

4/8/08-SK

Robert D. Fritschen
Nebraska Hall of Agriculture Achievement
Secretary/Treasurer
(402) 256-9205

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News and Photography
(402) 472-3030

Department: Administration