Richard was as connected with the land as he was serving agriculture and agribusiness through his company. He applied his talent wisely as he carried on with a statewide tradition with the Nebraska Association of Conservation Districts, was a Governor’s appointee to the Natural Resources Commission, and gained prominence nationally through the National Association of Conservation Districts.
Richard C. Hahn of Omaha, and in the winter months, of Arizona, was reared on a Madison County Nebraska farm near the small town of Battle Creek. He graduated from Norfolk High School, and Richard was especially active in FFA, where he earned the State Farmer Degree, and served as the FFA State Regional Vice President. He earned his baccalaureate degree in agricultural economics in 1961 from the University of Nebraska, and through the Naval ROTC program, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. Through his active and naval reserve duties, Richard served our country for 30 years and he retired from the Navy in 1991 with the rank of Captain. He was decorated for his meritorious accomplishments and served as a Blue and Gold Officer for the United States Naval Academy where he interviewed candidates for appointment to the academy. He served as president of the Nebraska Department of Reserve Officers Association.
As most of you already know, Richard was able to combine his love of agriculture and his devotion to his country which resulted in dual careers in Agribusiness and the United States Navy. When he came off active duty in 1963, Richard found that a person with both a college degree and military experience would be greeted by a wide-open job market. After receiving three different job offers, Richard began his career of serving agriculture and agribusiness with MetLife working first as a field representative and mortgage consultant in Fremont and Norfolk, and ultimately becoming the manager of Metlife's Agricultural Branch Office at Grand Island with a mortgage portfolio of over $250 million. He joined Farmer's National Company in Omaha in 1986 when MetLife purchased the company and the Hahn Family moved to Omaha, the headquarters of the newly acquired company. In 1987 he became the President and CEO. During his leadership, Farmers National Company expanded its services and continued to grow and maintain its position as the nation's largest farm and ranch management company. As Farmers National continued to thrive, Richard led the effort of employees in purchasing the company back in the year 2000. Richard is well remembered for many significant accomplishments with Farmers National. He also is remembered for being frugal as well as for running out of gas on numerous occasions. Rumor has it that one time he was driving east with a brand new trainee on 1-80 near the Greenwood Exit where he was running low on gas, but really wanting to make it to Omaha where the gas prices were much cheaper. Unfortunately, his vehicle totally ran out of gas about a mile east of the gas station at the Greenwood Exit. The new trainee received his very-first, real world experience with Farmers National when he had to walk back to the station to get a can of gas! There also are many stories to be gleaned from his old colleagues at Farmers National about having restaurant meals with Richard and their usually fruitless attempts to wait for Richard to pick up the check for the meal!
Richard retired from Farmer's National Company in 2005, and he continues to maintain his real estate license with the company. He served as president of the Nebraska Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, served as chairman of the Farm Foundation, and continues to serve as trustee. The Farm Foundation is a non-profit organization with a Round Table limited to 150 members as well as very past United States Secretary of Agriculture. The Farm Foundation exists as a catalyst for sound public policy by providing objective information to foster deeper understanding of issues shaping the future for agriculture, food systems, and rural regions. Here is a congratulatory message to Richard from Dr. Neil Conklin, President of the Farm Foundation: "Richard has given a decade of service to the Farm Foundation Board of Trustees. During his term as Chairman of the Board, he led the Foundation through the process of modernizing its organizational structure. His foresight and vision in guiding the process will serve the Foundation well into the future. The combination of his extensive knowledge of agriculture and rural communities, and his rich experiences as a volunteer in nonprofit organizations, makes him a valuable asset to the Farm Foundation." Neil goes on to say: "Richard endures many good natured jokes about his frugal nature, but in his leadership and contributions to the Farm Foundation, Richard's generosity is enormous." Throughout his career Richard has placed special emphasis on supporting and encouraging the wise use of natural resources. He has served two Nebraska Governors for a total of eight years as a gubernatorial appointee to the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission. He served as president of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts and as president of the Nebraska Water Conference Council. He served 13 years as an elected director of the Lower Elkhorn and Central Platte Natural Resources District. Richard has or now is serving on the board of directors and has held key positions in NC+ Hybrids, the Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce, the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Omaha Agri-Business Club, the Omaha Farmers Club, the Sponsor's Board of the National FFA Foundation, Advisory Board of Wells Fargo Bank, the National Steering Committee of 25x25 (a renewable energy organization) and the Boards of Methodist Hospital, Methodist Hospital Foundation, Methodist College of Nursing, and Methodist Physicians Clinic. The Methodist Hospital Foundation has honored Richard with its highly coveted J.D. Anderson Leadership Award.
Richard is one of Nebraska's CARET Delegates, the National Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) in Washington, D.C. He served as president of ABN, the Agriculture Builders of Nebraska, which has been described by University of Nebraska presidents as being the best organized and most supportive organization for the University of Nebraska- System. In 2007 the Omaha Agri-Business Club honored Richard with its Leadership Award.
Richard and wife, Pat, belong and are active in Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church in Millard, and have been married for 44 years. Richard, for a good Lutheran, you certainly have spent a tremendous amount of time working with the Methodists!
Richard will make the formal introductions of Pat and their family members present with us this evening when he makes his remarks in a few moments.
I will, however, relate one family story from about 13 years ago when Grandsons Conner and Taylor were just small boys. Richard and his grandsons were in the garage where Richard wanted to put something in the attic. Pat called out to Richard: "Be sure you do NOT take those little boys up there....it's too dangerous, and they might fall through the ceiling!" Within just a few minutes Pat heard a commotion, but when she looked into the garage, no one was in sight. She did, however, hear Richard and the grandsons up in the attic. While Pat was pondering this new discovery, there was a sudden CRASH! One of Richard's legs went through the drywall ceiling and was dangling from the thigh downward into the garage!!! Pat reports that had this all not have been so funny, Richard might still be in the doghouse. Her only regret is that this was before today's digital cameras and she didn't have any film in her camera!
Richard, congratulations to you and your family on tonight's occasion of you being honored by the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement!
