Keith's entrepreneurial spirit provided him a successful hybrid seed producing career resulting in increased demand for his seed. Soon he built his own seed production plant producing hybrid wheat, sorghum, and soybeans. When large companies began buying into seed corn production, Keith sold his seed production plant and on a part-time basis, began experimenting with popcorn production. After retiring, Keith devoted his time to BKH Popcorn and successfully marketed popcorn world-wide.
Keith Heuermann's contributions to Nebraska's food and agricultural industry; his leadership and philanthropic support for higher education and our society make him uniquely qualified to be selected as the 2006 Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement Honoree. Adding his name to the list of individuals previously honored by NHAA during the past 87 years adds prestige to the significance and prestige to this award.
Keith was raised on a family farm near Phillips and enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the University of Nebraska in 1942. Keith's entrepreneurial spirit coupled with the opportunity to be a student worker in Dr. Louis Camp's seed corn research and testing program in the University of Nebraska Department of Agronomy provided him with the foundation to be a very successful hybrid seed producer. While a student, he convinced his father to send him $12 to purchase enough foundation seed to "sparingly" plant two acres of hybrid seed corn on their home farm, and the rest is history!
His successful hybrids attracted the attention of others and resulted in increased demand for his seed. Their operation expanded to producing hybrid wheat, sorghum and soybeans along with other seeds, and they built a seed production plant in Phillips in 1962. Keith continued his formal education by taking courses at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Minnesota while operating his seed production business and earned his BS degree from the University of Nebraska in 1957.
When large companies began buying into seed corn production, Keith sold their Prairie Valley Hybrid Seed Company in 1979 to the Stauffer Chemical Company. Since the sales agreement contained a no-competition clause, Stauffer's hired Keith to work for them and their subsequent owners for a period of 10 years until his "retirement" in 1990. Since popcorn was not considered to compete with seed corn production, Keith was granted authorization to experiment in producing popcorn on a part-time basis in 1982, while still an employee of Stauffer's and their subsequent owners. But after his retirement, he devoted full-time to his passion to produce the best popcorn in the world and he established the BKH Popcorn Company and distributed their first product in 1992. BKH Popcorn Inc. expanded steadily and today their products are being marketed on a world-wide basis. It continues to be a family operation based on the premise of continuously developing and testing new hybrids and perfecting their processing and packaging procedures. They market regularly to 17 different countries, and except for utilizing the QVC Home Shopping Network, word of mouth continues to be one of their primary marketing sources.
Over the years, Keith and his wife, Norma, have generously contributed their talents and resources. Keith has been a member of the Masonic Lodge for over 50 years and of the Shrine for 48 years. He is proud of how the Shrines' 22 North American hospitals are serving youth, and of their contributions to quality of life through the Fremont Children's Home and the Senior Home in Plattsmouth. The Heuermann's have generously supported the Region 3 Behavioral Health Services and the ARC Disadvantaged Citizens programs.
Keith and Norma were named Founding Members of the President's Club of the University of Nebraska Foundation in 1984 in recognition of their generous support for applied agronomy research directed to benefit farmers. Keith also was named the Premier Seed Grower of the Year in 1968 by the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association and served as President of the Nebraska Seedsman's Association. Keith served on the Board of Governors of Nebraska Wesleyan University and was inducted into the ProRege Society at Hastings College in recognition of his extraordinary service and significant philanthropic support. Their contributions to the Nebraska Wesleyan University resulted in the University naming one of their new townhouses on campus "The Heuermann House" in 2005.
Keith's leadership contributions have been recognized by his being a member of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Business Hall of Fame; by serving on the Board of Directors of the Aurora Development Corporation; by receiving the UNL College of Business Administration's Entrepreneur Award; by receiving the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Ag Leadership Award; and by serving as a Director of the Farmers State Bank of Aurora; and is currently serving as the Region 3 Director for the Pinnacle Bank Corporation.
The Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement is honored to recognize an individual and a family who have contributed so much to the betterment of our industry, our state, and our society. As we reflect on Keith and Norma Heuermann's wide range of contributions over the years, four defining characteristics are vividly evident: (1) Vision and foresight; (2) A sincere interest in the well-being of others; (3) Generous philanthropic support for higher education and for the needs of society; and (4) A keen zest for knowledge and strong faith to help build a better tomorrow. The members of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement are proud to name B. Keith Heuermann their Honoree for 2006.
