Released: March 09, 2007

Huck Boyd Institute recognizes Five Kansas Leaders

MANHATTAN, Kan. – “See Kansas with new eyes.” That adage from rural advocate Marci Penner has been successfully applied by her and to her fellow Kansans who have been recognized as Huck Boyd Leaders of the Year for 2007.

The award winners were honored at a luncheon and ceremony on the Kansas State University campus March 7, 2007.

“Each of these winners has demonstrated a visionary approach to the challenges before them,” said Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at K-State. “They have seen their challenges with new, creative eyes and developed innovative approaches which have led to success.”

The winners and their communities are:

• Agribusiness - Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch, Lindsborg

• Business Development - Brooke Corporation, Phillipsburg

• Community Leadership - SEK Leadership Academy, Southeast Kansas Inc., Cherokee

• Entrepreneurship - TRG, Gypsum

• Tourism Development - The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers, Inman

The Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch is owned and operated by Frank Reese Jr., a fourth generation Kansas farmer. He preserves and produces a special type of birds called Authentic Heritage Turkeys, which are the original, classic breeds of turkeys historically produced in this country. Unlike the modern grocery store turkey, these birds live longer, grow slower, and consistently win national taste tests among chefs as the most flavorful type of turkey. More information can be found at www.reeseturkeys.com.

The Brooke Corporation pioneered a "franchise" approach to the local provision of insurance and financial services. Founded by Rob and Leland Orr, Brooke Corporation has grown to have franchise locations in 29 states from Florida to California with assets of more than $135 million. Entrepreneur Magazine´s Franchise 500 Rankings listed Brooke as number 1 in its industry category. More information can be found at www.brookeagent.com.

The SEK Leadership Academy is a multi-county leadership development program offered by Southeast Kansas Inc., the regional economic development organization. The regional leadership academy offered leadership skill-building sessions in fall and winter of 2006-07.

Sessions were held in Iola, Independence, Pittsburg, Parsons, and Girard on such topics as leadership styles, concepts of leadership, coalition building and collaboration, facilitation skills, values and ethical decision making, and class projects. More information can be found at www.sekinc.org.

TRG was founded by the late Warren Redden and is now operated by his wife Vivian Redden and their son Carl. TRG designs, engineers, and produces various types of mechanical and electrical devices for a variety of uses and does high quality metal working and fabricating.

The company’s products have gone coast to coast and as far away as Saudi Arabia. More information can be found by calling them at 785-536-4348.

The Kansas Guidebook for Explorers was written by Marci Penner and published by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. Marci visited all 627 incorporated Kansas towns plus many others while searching for special elements of rural culture all over Kansas. The guidebook contains 432 pages, more than 400 color photos, and 3,597 entries, including sights to see, eating places, hidden treasures, and fun places to visit. More information can be found at www.kansasguidebook.com.

Each year the Huck Boyd Institute selects the Leaders of the Year from among those featured on its weekly Kansas Profile radio program and its column during the previous 12 months. Kansas Profile is distributed by the K-State Radio Network and K-State Research and Extension News to radio stations and newspapers state-wide.

The Huck Boyd Institute is a public/private partnership between K-State Research and Extension and the Huck Boyd Foundation. The Foundation’s office is at the Huck Boyd Community Center in Phillipsburg. The Institute office is at Kansas State University in Manhattan.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Ron Wilson
rwilson@ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News