Owen Palm has given much to agricultural communities in western Nebraska, the state, the region, and the country. He has contributed to the University of Nebraska - Lincoln's Insitute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Western Nebraska Community College, various natural resource groups, and with fellow neighbors when local devastation occurs. Perhaps Owen’s most important contribution is to Nebraska's agriculture has been through his knowledge-sharing opportunities and field day demonstrations with farmers and ranchers.
Owen Palm is recognized for giving so much to the agriculture community in western NE, the state, the region, and the country. He has been very successful in business, but with this success, he has helped others in so many ways through major contributions to UNL – IANR, Western Nebraska Community College, the natural resource groups but perhaps the most important to Owen is that he has shared his knowledge and experience with farmers and ranchers through demonstrations and field days and when devastation occurs he assists them financially.
Earlier in his career, he served 13 years as CEO of Western Sugar Cooperative, the major sugar company in Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming, which during his tenure comprised 6 major sugar-processing facilities. Then in 1996 Owen and family, plus two partners, organized 21st Century Equipment and purchased a John Deere dealership in Alliance, NE. This initial purchase has now grown into 16 locations in the region, with over 350 employees. Recently the 21st Century group purchased Irrigation Specialties, the Valley Center Pivot dealership in Gering, NE, which has grown considerably.
He not only has assisted agriculture directly, but he has also given untold hours to the community so the quality of life is improved in the community by making a tremendous commitment to the Scotts Bluff County YMCA where he served as president of the board for many years. Scotts Bull County YMCA is one of the largest facilities as well as the level of activities offered in rural Nebraska. Owen has always looked for ways to improve the community and its economic state and has served as a leader in attracting new industry to the region. One example of this commitment is that he served as president of the Twin Cities Development group in Scottsbluff-Gering.
Because of his many contributions, Owen was named by the regional newspaper, Scottsbluff Star-Herald, as Citizen of the Year in 2005. This is a very significant and prestigious honor as the Star-Herald looks at every citizen from all walks of life and selected Owen for his outstanding contributions primarily in agriculture. This may be the most prestigious honor in western NE. In addition, he was inducted into the NE Chamber Hall of Fame in 2016, another very significant honor recognizing how much he has given the agriculture business community. Of course, the Nebraska Hall of Agriculture Achievement has honored Owen with membership.
Owen has made several recent and important contributions to the state of Nebraska. The fact that Governor Ricketts and UN president Hank Bounds asked Owen to co-chair the BluePrint for NE indicates the confidence they placed in Owen’s leadership and commitment. It exemplifies their faith in his skills to develop a long-range plan for our wonderful state. Owen accepted this challenge and followed through with excellent leadership and will most certainly provide an excellent vision for decision-makers for the state in the future.
In spite of all that Owen has contributed, he continues to reach out to help others, be it a student in need of training, a farmer in need, a community betterment project, or in other areas Owen is there to provide leadership and help. Owens's most recent contribution was conducting a major fundraising effort for farmers and ranchers in western Nebraska and Wyoming that were adversely impacted when a major irrigation canal failed to leave them without irrigation water. . Owen joined forces with another entity to hold major benefit activities, including a major concert for the benefit of the affected farmers. They raised over $200,000, of which 100% went to the impacted farmers.
