Management and Sales Council
Amy Berry, Sales Manager, WKDZ/WHVO Radio, Cadiz, KY 
Daniel Cash, General Sales Manager, KFGO Radio, Fargo, ND 
Lori Lulich, Regional Ag Sales Account Manager, WOZN/Q106 Radio, Lyndon Station, WI 

Bob Quinn (WHO, Des Moines, IA) covers farming for a living, but now he’s taken living in agriculture to a new level. Bob has built a home in the spirit of Iowa agriculture out of a grain bin. He got the idea after Sukup Manufacturing built small grain bins to be taken to Haiti to use for housing after the devastating earthquakes hit that country. “We wanted to have a house here on the farm that was characteristic of a farm.” He considered a cabin, but after covering the Sukup grain bin story, Bob got the idea to try a grain bin as a house. So, a huge 20,000-bushel grain bin was assembled on Bob’s acreage west of St. Charles, IA. The structure is built like a Thermos bottle, he said. A second steel roof is built under the top roof, and two feet of insulation was put in. Another interior wall was put inside the outer wall and filled with insulation. The grain bin home has a loft, which covers half the structure’s inside. Overall, it has a very high ceiling over the living room.

Steve Bridge (WFMB-AM/FM, Springfield, IL) was awarded an NAFB Foundation grant to participate in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program (IALP). He says participating in this program has been a very good decision. “The seminars are great, but the personal connection you make with the 29 people in the class is the best part. Our class began last November. Over the past year, we have had seminars at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, a week in Washington, DC, and a memorable trip to Gettysburg, PA.” In February and March, the group will travel for two weeks to Japan and Panama. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. I’m honored to have been selected for the class and to join the small list of other farm broadcasters and journalists that are part of the IALP.” Individual members of the NAFB Broadcast Council are eligible to apply for a maximum of $1,000 that may be used for a variety of educational opportunities (like this leadership program). Steve is completing his second year of a two-year program. Applications are available through the NAFB Foundation. 

Ben Nuelle (Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network, Des Moines, IA) is an agricultural journalist who works with farm broadcaster Ken Root. With this being Ben’s first job as a farm broadcaster he felt “learning from one of the best was important.” He added, “I am thrilled to be working for Ken. He has been a great mentor, and I hope to be just as good as him someday.” Ben’s daily routine consists of filing two stories a day for the network while also managing the network’s website. A graduate of Northwest Missouri State University with a B.S. in Mass Media (with an emphasis in Multimedia Journalism). He is a triplet from Higginsville, MO. His two brothers are Alex and Chad. Alex farms hay and cattle with his dad, Bob, and Chad is a district sales manager for LG Seeds. 

Ty Higgins with Ohio Ag Net, recently launched a new weekend program connecting farmers to consumers with country music. Farm & Country Radio is currently airing on country stations from Tennessee to Iowa. Ty’s uncle, Scott, the CEO of The American Dairy Association Mideast, opened the door for him to start his radio journey right out of high school, by introducing him to farm broadcaster and former NAFB President Joe Cornely. “My career began in farm broadcasting, shifted to country radio for 15 years at WHOK in Columbus, OH, and now I have returned to my roots,” Higgins said. “I thought Farm & Country would be a great way to fully utilize my experience with both country music and the country life.” Guests on Farm & Country, highlighted as “Featured Farmers”, have included producers from all across the country and some that have made an impact nationally as a voice for the industry. “Derek Klingenberg was on the show shortly after he played his trombone for his cows, and I had no idea where that conversation was headed, but it was a good one,” Ty said.