Roger has a long list of accomplishments in public service and support to agriculture. As chairman of the Government Affairs Committee of the Nebraska Livestock Feeders Association, Roger started a program that brought legislative assistants from urban congressional offices in Washington, D.C. to Nebraska farms and ranches. Roger was an effective public servant for Nebraska farmers and ranchers and a respected spokesperson for Nebraska agriculture.
Thank you, President John.
Governor Johanns, Senators (and former senators), members of the Board of Regents (and former members), President Smith, V.C. Omtvedt, Directors Carlson and Williamson, colleagues, and friends.
It is both a pleasure and a privilege for Ruth and me to be here this evening and to be able to play a small role in this tribute to a great Nebraskan and one of our own University graduates.
Thanks to the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement for sponsoring this special occasion and for hosting this significant event.
Before starting with the main activity of the evening, I want to congratulate the new members of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement, and to say that we are proud to have you as members of this important and wonderful organization. Your election to membership signifies that you have made valuable and significant contributions to Nebraska agriculture. We salute and congratulate you on those accomplishments and the associated recognition.
Over the years, we have had many outstanding individuals among the 107 previous honorees of this Hall of Achievement dating back to 1917, and tonight is no exception. Sometimes the choice for honoree has been a difficult one from among many qualified candidates, but his year the individual selected is so well known and so highly respected that the choice was obvious.
Although the tribute is primarily for Roger, we all know that behind every great person there is another outstanding individual, and in this case, it is his wife, Jeanene. She has been by Roger's side and a true partner all the way. Jeanene, would you please stand and let us recognize you at this time. Congratulations to you also.
Before making too many comments, I want to say that the Governor did an eloquent job of describing Roger's outstanding attributes, so I'm not sure what is left for me. Thank you, Governor Johannes, for attending and participating in this special tribute to Roger.
The well-known comedian, Groucho Marx, once said that, "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies."
If that's the case, then we have a remarkable exception to the rule in the political life of the individual we are honoring tonight. Roger is one who has looked for the good, found it in unlikely places, and applied creative and useful solutions for the benefit of all.
Those of you who know Roger know that he is a very thoughtful, patient, and considerate person. It is often stated that the greater the degree of humility a person displays, the greater the individual. In this regard, I can assure you that we are gathered here this evening to honor a great individual.
Roger is a person who has committed the Golden Rule to his life and not just his memory. However, so you don't think he is a perfect person, I will tell you that he does have one vice and that is partaking of strawberry shortcake at Mom's Café in Plattsmouth!
Roger's involvement in his many activities began years ago when he signed up as a charter member of the Cass County 4-H Club which will be celebrating its 50h year in 1999. To show his continuing commitment to 4-H, he later served that club as a lay leader for 20 years.
He was born in Lincoln, moved to Plattsmouth and graduated from Plattsmouth High School and later the University of Nebraska. We are proud to claim him as one of our distinguished graduates of the College of Agriculture at the University. Following graduation, he served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.
While serving in military service, he married his College Sweetheart, Jeanene Markussen. They have two sons – Douglas and David who are with us this evening. After active military service, Roger and Jeanene returned to Cass County where they followed the advice of that famous philosopher, Yogi Berra, who said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." They did and became associated with the Wehrbein Agricultural Operation.
It was during this time that he began his long list of public service activities. He served as Chairman of the Cass County Fair Board when the board raised money to build a new fairgrounds. Also, while Chairman of the Federal Land Bank Association Lincoln Office, that organization moved into new and expanded facilities. Roger may have practiced what one of the well-known entrepreneurs of our time, Donald Trump, said and I quote, "that as long as you are going to think, you might as well think big."
While serving as Chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the Nebraska Livestock Feeders Association, and as a person who is always looking to the future, he was largely responsible for starting a program to bring legislative assistants from urban congressional offices in Washington to Nebraska farms and ranches. Everyone knows how much this kind of information exchange is needed today. While a member of the Cass County Planning Commission, Roger was instrumental in helping to develop new zoning regulations. As a result of his good work, Cass County was among the first counties in Nebraska to have structured zoning codes. He also served as the first president of the 7-county River County Economic Development District.
Other public service activities have included Cass County Commissioner, State Senator from District 2 where he has been elected or re-elected to that position for four consecutive terms. Roger has and still serves on many important legislative positions, but presently as Chairman of the all-important appropriations committee. In that post he largely controls the purse strings for the state of Nebraska. He is sometimes affectionately referred to as "The Money Man." Roger let me assure you that we would never ask for money on an occasion like this, but I'd be glad to talk with you after this banquet is finished!!
While serving in the legislature, Roger worked closely with former Senator Loren Schmidt to get ethanol legislation passed for the state of Nebraska. Largely because of their efforts we have a thriving ethanol industry in this state with seven plants producing in excess of 300 million gallons of ethanol annually. One of every seven bushels of corn grown in Nebraska today is converted to ethanol and related co-products. This industry provides more than 5,000 jobs either directly or indirectly at ethanol plants located in the state – an important economic benefit to our state.
Roger has also been a staunch supporter of the University of Nebraska, especially as it pertains to expansion and improvement of physical facilities, as well as a strong advocate for agriculture research, education, and extension programs. Agricultural and water groups knew they consistently could count on him for support. In the 1997 and 1998 sessions, he provided leadership for additional funding to the University and for property tax relief to the citizens by transferring funding support for Extension Educator salaries and benefits from county funds to state funds in the University budget and also for providing money for E.Coli research – a major threat to our all-important agricultural and food industry. These are just examples again of the kind of commitment he has made for this state.
He has always had a continues to have the best interest of our people foremost in his mind and heart. I have heard it said that there is no greater loan than a sympathetic ear, and we certainly receive that from Roger.
Roger and his family have received many honors and recognition over the years, and I will not mention all of those this evening, but I would be remiss if I did not mention a few of them. Those include: 1980 Honoree, Nebraska Agribusiness Club; 1984 Omaha Area Kiwanis Club Farm Family of the Year; 1989 Volunteer of the Year, Nebraska Council on Economic Education; 1989 Leadership Award from College of Business Administration, UNL; 1993 Honoree of UNL Block and Bridle Club; Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Association of County Extension Boards, and he is the only person in Nebraska to ever be voted the Outstanding Alumnus of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity on two different occasions.
Roger is a member or former member of many different organizations. Again, I will not give you an entire list but just a sample of those that have not been mentioned previously. These are: Plattsmouth Rotary Club, Agricultural Land Valuation Committee, Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, Mayors Committee on International Friendship, Plattsmouth Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, 4-H, Missouri River Boundary Commission, Capital Pork Producers, Nebraska AgRelations Council, Agricultural Builders of Nebraska, Masonic Lodge #6, American Legion, and an elder in the First Presbyterian Church.
Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Roger Wehrbein is most deserving of this special recognition as the 1999 Honoree of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. He has made and is continuing to make a permanent mark of lasting value on his community, our University, the state of Nebraska, and yes, the United States. It takes a special kind of person, which he is, to accomplish the many things that he has done.
It is a high honor for me to share in the celebration of the achievements of a personal friend, a great Nebraskan, and a great American. Roger, thank you for all that you have done to make this state a better place for all of us to live and work here.
Would you please come forward at this time for presentation of the award and your response.
