Past NAFB President, and centenarian Russell Pierson sends his greetings to NAFB members. Russell will celebrate his 103th birthday on December 15. He was NAFB President in 1973, retired from the mic in 1980. Prior to joining WKY in 1958, Russell served as a county agent in Oklahoma. 

Business and families can be a toxic mix especially for husband and wife partners who find it nearly impossible to separate business from their personal lives, but Susan Allen, co-owner with husband, Kelly, of the Ag Information Network points out, “Farmers and ranchers have been successful family business owners for generations.” She considers their company, Ag Information Network, much like a working cattle ranch with each family member contributing in areas they are gifted. 

Congratulations to all of the 2014 NAFB Award Winners. Awards were handed out during the recent 71st NAFB Convention held in Kansas City, MO, November 12-14, 2014.

54 years and counting is the latest benchmark for Orion Samuelson, reports his longtime colleague, Max Armstrong. “As I continue with him on the Saturday Morning Show broadcast (the hour-long weekly show on WGN Radio), I have been heard on WGN every week for nearly 37 years,” Max reports. “Every few weeks, when Orion is in Arizona, I originate that entire hour from my home studio south of Raleigh, where Linda and I bought a horse farm this year.”

The year has certainly zoomed by and in seven weeks we’ll all gather again for our annual convention in Kansas City. One thing on the agenda this year, is new NAFB research. The board has approved a couple investigative efforts that will be the first in-depth NAFB research since the Wave Study of 2008.