Often called the “radio voice of Kansas Agriculture,” WIBW Radio/Kansas Agriculture Network Farm Director Kelly Lenz was honored as one of the 2016 inductees to the Kansas Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place October 9 at the opening of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters individual awards ceremony. Kelly spoke about several former KAB Hall of Fame inductees with whom he had the chance to work: Mark Vail (2013), George Logan (1997), Jerry Holley (1987) and Ed O’Donnell (2003). He also mentioned Sonny Slater, who at the time Kelly came to Topeka, was “the dean of farm broadcasters.” Kelly looked back when he first became interested in radio when he was young growing up on a farm in western Iowa. “I received a transistor radio in 1963, a little transistor radio, and I treasured it. I would take it to bed at night, get under the covers, turn on AM radio and see how many stations that I could pick up.” He talked about picking up stations from Cincinnati, Chicago, Des Moines, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Dallas, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Kansas City and Denver. “It opened an entire world for me on that Iowa farm, and I became fascinated with radio,” he said. Kelly started his farm broadcasting career at WIOK (Normal, IL). A few years later, he took over as Farm Director for WJBC (Bloomington, IL). In 1978, Kelly was hired as Assistant Farm Director for WIBW (Topeka, KS). A year later, he became Farm Director. With 38 years of service, Kelly has been a leader and innovator in the farm broadcasting industry.
In 1983 he started the Ag Issues program on WIBW, one of the first agricultural talk shows in the nation. Also, he began an annual agricultural conference for farmers and ranchers. Now in its 33rd year, the Farm Profit conferences have evolved into four conferences held in different locations in the WIBW listening area. The interest in the farm profit conferences continues to grow with more than 725 producers attending the conferences in 2016. Under his leadership, the station also presented annual programs at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, KS, including debates for Kansas Governor and the U.S. Senate. At least two USDA Secretaries have appeared on the program, as well as dozens of congressional leaders. Kelly has been honored for his work covering and reporting on Kansas agriculture. He’s a former Regional Farm Broadcaster of the Year as recognized by NAFB. Among his most cherished awards include the Kansas Farm Bureau Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, and the Honorary State and National Farmer degrees from FFA. Kelly also gave special recognition to farmers and ranchers who are the listening audience for the station’s and network’s ag programming. “They are, in my opinion, the salt of the earth. They are the people that get me up in the morning.” Lenz says he reminds younger people that the first three hours of the morning are the most important in radio. “We wake people up, and we help them adjust to their day. So, we can be down, or we can be up. We can be serious, we can be funny, but it’s the guy on the radio or the people on the radio through the first three hours of the day that sets the pace for the whole day.” About his induction, Kelly said, “I was shocked when Larry Riggins, our radio manager, told me I had been selected for the KAB Hall of Fame. Only a very small group of people who have worked in farm broadcasting have received this honor. I am humbled and honored to join their ranks.”
