This award is presented to an Allied Industry Council or Management & Sales Council member who has demonstrated exemplary and committed service to NAFB. The award was renamed in 2006 to honor longtime member, leader and historian Dix Harper. It was first presented in 1957 to Charlie Karr. Karr was a sales promotion manger for Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During Karr’s 35 years in the farm machinery business he spent more than $5,000,000 on farm radio and television advertising, according to the December 1957 eChats.

Dix Harper Meritorious Service Award Recipients

 


2023
Gardner Hatch
Woodruff
Cottage Grove, Minnesota

2022
Tim Marshall
KRVN Rural Radio Network
Lexington, NE
 
2021
Brenda Curtis
USDA Radio (retired)
Silver Spring, MD
 
2020
Bill Holst
WNAX Radio
Yankton, SD
 
2019
Russ Parker
J.L. Farmakis
Lovilia, IA
 
2018
Mary Kay Thatcher
Syngenta
Washington, DC
 
2017
Lance Knudson
American Ag Network
Grand Forks, ND
 
2016
Sara Wyant
Agri-Pulse Communications
Camdenton, MO
 
2015
Mike Perrine
MP Ag Radio
Troy, IL
 
2014
Bill Farmakis
J.L. Farmakis
Wilton, CT
 
2013
Lynn Henderson
Agri Marketing
Adel, IA
 
2012
Mike Hansen
RFD-TV
Omaha, NE
 
2011
John Vasichek
Red River Farm Network
Grand Forks, ND
 
2010
Denny Waddle
KRVN Rural Radio Network
Lexington, NE
Roger Olson
National 4-H
Hudson, WI
 
2009
Ron Claussen
Ag Media Research
Sioux Falls, SD
2008
Mark Vail
Eagle Communications
Parkville, MO
2007
Vic McGill
Clear Channel/Katz Advantage
Chicago, IL
2006
Lyle Orwig
Charleston|Orwig
Hartland, WI
2005
Barry Nelson
John Deere
Lenexa, KS
2004
Gary Crawford
USDA
Washington, DC
2003
Hugh Whaley
Osborn & Barr Communications
St. Louis, MO
 

 

2023   Gardner Hatch – Woodruff, Cottage Grove, MN
2022   Tim Marshall – KRVN Rural Radio Network, Lexington, NE
2021   Brenda Curtis – USDA Radio (retired), Silver Spring, MD
2020   Bill Holst – WNAX Radio, Yankton, SD
2019   Russ Parker – J.L. Farmakis, Lovilia, IA
2018   Mary Kay Thatcher – Syngenta, Washington, DC
2017   Lance Knudson – American Ag Network, Grand Forks, ND
2016   Sara Wyant – Agri-Pulse Communications, Camdenton, MO
2015   Mike Perrine - MP Ag Radio, Troy, IL
2014   Bill Farmakis - J.L. Farmakis, Inc., Wilton,CT
2013   Lynn Henderson – Agri Marketing, Adel, IA
2012   Mike Hansen - RFD-TV, Omaha, NE
2011   John Vasichek - Red River Farm Network, Grand Forks, ND
2010   Roger Olson - National 4-H, Hudson, WI and Denny Waddle - KRVN/Rural Radio Network, Lexington, NE
2009   Ron Claussen - Ag Media Research, Sioux Falls, SD
2008   Mark Vail - Eagle Communications, Inc., Parkville, MO
2007   Vic McGill - Clear Channel/KATZ Advantage, Chicago, IL
2006   Lyle Orwig - Charleston|Orwig, Hartland, Wisconsin
2005   Barry Nelson - John Deere, Lenexa, Kansas
2004   Gary Crawford - USDA, Washington, D.C.
2003   Hugh Whaley - Osborn & Barr Communications, St. Louis, Missouri
2002   Gene Hemphill - New Holland North America, New Holland, Pennsylvania
2001   Cindy Cunningham - National Pork Board, Des Moines, Iowa
2000   John Block - Food Distributors International, Falls Church, Virginia
1999   Larry Quinn - USDA Office of Communications, Washington, D.C.
1998   Anna Pfrang - Retired Former NAFB Staff Member, Topeka, Kansas
1997   Ted Haller - Katz Radio Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1996   Jim Evans - Retired, University of Illinois, Philo, Illinois
1995   Donna French Dunn - U.S. Feed Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
1994   Vic Powell - United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Communications, Washington, D.C.
1993   John Harvey - John Harvey Communications, Wilmington, Delaware
1992   Skip Ragland - Ciba-Geigy, Greensboro, North Carolina
1991   Charles Harness - National Pork Producers Council, Des Moines, Iowa
1990   Gene Millard - KFEQ, St. Joseph, Missouri
1989   Wava Pippert - Chair of NAFB Spouses Program; wife of Paul Pippert, WIBW, Topeka, Kansas
1988   Charles Might - NAFB Sales/Marketing, Racine, Wisconsin
1987   Tom Hoy - National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Washington, D.C.
1986   Jim Johnson - Chief, Radio and TV, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1985   George Logan - WIBW-TV, Topeka, Kansas and Executive Secretary, NAFB National Office
1984   Herb Plambeck - Living History Farms, Des Moines, Iowa
1983   Glenn Kummerow - Katz Radio Group, Chicago, Illinois
1982   Fred Masterson - Elanco Products Company, Indianapolis, Indiana
1981   Ray Kremer - NAFB Sales/Marketing, Mt. Dora, Florida
1980   Layne Beaty - Chief, Radio and TV, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1979   Dr. F. L. Whan - KWFT, Wichita Falls, Texas
1978   Ray C. Senate - WIBW, Topeka, Kansas
1977   Leo B. Olson - DeKalb Ag Research, Inc., DeKalb, Illinois
1976   Lee Bullis - Allen & Dorward, San Francisco, California
1975   Jim Mills - National Agricultural Chemicals Association
1974   Bill Alford - WMT, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
1973   Ben Ludy - KWFT, Wichita Falls, Texas
1972   Charles Dana Bennett - Foundation for American Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
1971   Jack Towers - U.S. Department of Agriculture
1970   Ward L. Quaal - WGN, Chicago, Illinois
1969   Larry Haeg - WCCO, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1968   Emmett Barker - American Feed Manufacturers Association
1967   Jack Timmons - KWKH, Shreveport, Louisiana
1966   Stan Torgerson - WMC, Memphis, Tennessee
1965   George Biggar - WLBK, DeKalb, Illinois
1964   Wallace Kadderly - Retired Oregon Farm Broadcaster and Chief, Radio & TV, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1963   Phil Alampi - New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture
1962   Milt Bliss - Soil Conservation Service, Hartford, Wisconsin
1961   Roy Battles - The National Grange, Washington, D.C.
1960   Frank Mullen and Bill Drips - NBC
1959   Dix Harper - Aubrey, Finlay, Marley & Hodgson, Inc., Chicago, Illinois
1958   Louis H. Wilson - National Plant Food Institute, Washington, D.C.
1957   Charlie Karr - Allis Chalmers Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin