During his tenure with the Nebraska Farm Bureau, Doug more than doubled its membership, added staff, expanded programs, elevated its public policy advocacy for agriculture and increased agricultural engagement with urban leaders. He was instrumental to NFB’s increased financial support for Ag in the Classroom, 4-H, FFA, LEAD, The Leadership Center and Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute.
Douglas A. Gibson is a native of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming who earned a journalism degree from the University of Wyoming. Doug began his agriculture association career in January 1970 with the Wyoming Farm Bureau. He was primarily responsible for public information and governmental relations, serving 10 years as lobbyist. In March 1981 he became the Chief Administrator/Secretary-Treasurer of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation and Affiliated Companies, a position in which he served until his retirement in April 2009.
During his tenure with the Nebraska Farm Bureau more than double its membership, added talented new staff, expanded programs, and significantly elevated its public policy advocacy for agriculture. That growth and increased influence, Doug attributes, to the Farm Bureau team of energetic and passionate staff collaborating with the NFBF Board of Directors and county FB leaders across the state. During that time, Farm Bureau also increased its financial support for Ag in the Classroom, 4-H, FFA, LEAD, The Leadership Center and Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute.
In the early 1990s the Nebraska Ag in the Classroom Program was in need for greater support and a new home. Doug led the way at Farm Bureau to fund creation of a separate not-for-profit, the Nebraska Foundation for Agriculture Awareness to support the AIC Program. Bryce Neidig, Eric Brown, and Gibson were the founding incorporators for the Foundation. FB also found space in its building to house the Ag in the Classroom Program Director. That Foundation had directors across agriculture, its major commodities and education to help direct the AIC program. Doug served as a director and corporate secretary of the Foundation for 17 years.
Although he was fully employed at Farm Bureau, the NFBF Board of Directors allowed Doug to serve as a volunteer in some of Foundations. He spent six years as a director and one year as the Chair of the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. Doug was a director for six years on the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, including one year as its Chair. He also served 10 years of the Nebraska Vocational Agriculture Foundation, which operates The Leadership Center at Aurora. Doug has also served for many years a presenter at the final seminar for each class in the LEAD program.
Doug also felt strongly that agriculture needed to be engaged with urban leaders such as those in the Chambers of Commerce in Lincoln and Omaha. He became a member of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and its Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, representing FB and agriculture’s interests. He traveled with the Lincoln Chamber on its legislative fly-in to Washington, D.C. He also traveled with the Lincoln and Omaha Chambers twice on their D.C. fly-ins, focusing on issues of mutual interest to agriculture and those cities.
In the years before he retired, Doug was recognized with several awards related to his leadership and support of 4-H, FFA, LEAD and NAYI. He was also honored by the Nebraska Agri-Business Club and the Nebraska Agri-Relations Council for his efforts on behalf of agriculture.
Since retirement Doug continues his volunteer service. Since 2010, he has served as the Secretary to Agriculture Builders of Nebraska, which works closely with the Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources. Since 2008 he has been a director on the NEBRASKAland Foundation Board, serves as its secretary since 2009. He also volunteers to drive a customer care car for a couple of hours once a week at the Bryan Health East campus in Lincoln.
Doug spent nearly three years in the United States Army in the mid-to-late 1960s, including one year in Vietnam. Once before and immediately after the Army, he had a public relations position at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. CA.
On the non-ag side, Doug is a former director and past president of Nebraska Jazz Orchestra. He is also a member of the Nebraska Society of Association Executives, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He and his wife are members of Christ United Methodist Church in Lincoln.
Doug and his wife, Margaret, have three grown sons and five grandchildren with whom they enjoy spending time. Doug and Margaret also enjoy traveling both nationally and internationally, especially photographing their adventures.
