Wheat field at sunset

Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community

Sponsored by the colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and Education and Human Sciences, the Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community program honors leaders who have influenced their communities, our state and the nation. These people, their homes, families, farms or ranches are an integral part of the state of South Dakota.

2025 Eminent Leaders Celebration

The next award celebration is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 19, 2025 at McCrory Gardens in Brookings.

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Nomination Process

The Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community are nominated by people in their community and have not applied for this honor. The honorees have gone the extra mile and given unselfishly of their time, talent and leadership to enhance their homes, churches, community organizations, schools, and agriculture, resulting in a betterment of family, communities, the state and the nation.

Nominations are accepted throughout the year, with an annual cutoff date of May 1 for the September recognition event. Instructions are included on the nomination form. Nominations remain in the selection pool for five years and may be updated by the nominator at any time.

Spotlight

Award/Title Recipients are organized by the year
Year Name Award County
Steven Rommereim Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Union
Pam Geppert Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Brule
Brad Greenway Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Davison
Floyd Hansmeier Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Day
Neil Bien Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Marshall
Kim Vannemann Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Tripp
Bryan Jorgensen Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Tripp
Delores Henderson Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Lincoln
Walt Bones III Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Turner
Lawrence Vander Wal Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Brookings
Ree Reich Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Butte
Laron Krause Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Deuel
Ludwig Hohm Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Beadle
Ann Vostad Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Brookings
Donna Adrian Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Mellette
Gary Cammack Eminent Leader in Agriculture, Family, and Community Meade
Mary Bjerke Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Susan VanderWal Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Doug Hanson Eminent Farmer/Rancher Union
Orrin Korth Eminent Farmer Codington
Gwenn Vallery Eminent Homemaker Butte
John Moes Eminent Farmer/Rancher Codington
June L. James Eminent Homemaker Codington
Tom Varilek Eminent Farmer/Rancher Charles Mix
Hugh Ingalls Eminent Farmer/Rancher Meade
Janet Hurlbert Eminent Homemaker Clark
Rose Stee Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Al Miron Eminent Farmer/Rancher Minnehaha
Helen Sweeter Eminent Homemaker Lincoln
Ida Slocum Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Rebecca "Becky" Walth Eminent Farmer/Rancher Walworth
Gary Duffy Eminent Farmer/Rancher Kingsbury
Gary Sharp Eminent Farmer/Rancher Brown
Michael Randall Eminent Farmer/Rancher Minnehaha
Clarice Megard Eminent Homemaker Minnehaha
Arlene Wessel Eminent Homemaker Beadle
Marjorie Kleinjan Eminent Homemaker Kingsbury
Marlys Vander Wal Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Marvin Post Eminent Farmer/Rancher Brookings
Michael Jandreau Eminent Farmer/Rancher Lyman
Phyllis Niemann Eminent Homemaker Deuel
Jim Burg Eminent Farmer/Rancher Jerauld
Gail Brock Eminent Homemaker Beadle
Lewis Bainbridge Eminent Farmer/Rancher Davison
Vernon Rausch Eminent Farmer/Rancher Potter
Donna Robbennolt Eminent Homemaker Potter
Arnold Wienk Eminent Farmer/Rancher Kingsbury
Becky Converse Eminent Homemaker Kingsbury
Merlin Van Walleghen Eminent Farmer Sanborn
Barbara Telkamp Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Phyllis Sternquist Eminent Homemaker Clay
Edward Blair Eminent Farmer Meade
Mildred "Millie" Gross Eminent Homemaker Lake
Rae Jean Gee Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Larry Gabriel Eminent Farmer Haakon
Ron Alverson Eminent Farmer Lake
Myron Williams Eminent Farmer Pennington
Adele Sudlow Eminent Homemaker Brookings
John Gross Eminent Farmer Lake
Beverly Burnham Eminent Homemaker Tripp
David Stenberg Eminent Farmer Moody
Hugh Barnett Eminent Farmer Brookings
Rita Barnett Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Jan Rasmussen Eminent Homemaker Mellette
Donna Sharp Eminent Homemaker Brown
Clark Moeckly Eminent Farmer Marshall
Aletha Prouty Eminent Homemaker Hamlin
Bart Blum Eminent Farmer Lyman
Beverly Zebroski Eminent Homemaker Sully
Robert Foster Eminent Farmer Brookings
Richard Christensen Eminent Farmer Kingsbury
Ann Seely Eminent Homemaker Minnehaha
Paul Symens Eminent Farmer Marshall
Gene Hudson Eminent Homemaker Midland
Betty Knutsen Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Gerald Moe Eminent Farmer Kingsbury
Laird Larson Eminent Farmer Clark
Geneva M. Foster Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Carol E. Komes Oedekoven Eminent Homemaker Vale
Robert Duxbury Eminent Farmer Hand
Pat Blum Eminent Farmer Lyman
James Suhr Eminent Farmer Brookings
Dorothy Gill Eminent Homemaker Day
Benita Lakness Eminent Homemaker Hamlin
Beverly Wright Eminent Homemaker Spink
Clair Lambert Eminent Farmer Miner
Marilyn Dobesh Eminent Homemaker Butte
T. Loren Christianson Eminent Farmer Deuel
Alec Vedvei Eminent Farmer Kingsbury
Janice Schelske Eminent Homemaker Lyman
Marlys Christensen Eminent Homemaker Kingsbury
Pat Adrian Eminent Farmer Mellette
Edith Bartels Eminent Homemaker Potter
Barbara Halbersma Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Dennis Hardy Eminent Farmer Lincoln
Judy Jensen Eminent Farmer Brookings
Jeannette Parker Eminent Homemaker Potter
Roland A. Chicoine Eminent Farmer Union
Odeen Rasmussen Eminent Farmer Mellette
Darleen Duffy Eminent Homemaker Kingsbury
Darrell Bishop Eminent Farmer Custer
Arthur Rahm Eminent Farmer Spink
Carletta Kilian Eminent Homemaker Potter
Marcia Heinje Eminent Homemaker Roberts
Wallace Johnson Eminent Farmer Hand
Joanne Bieber Eminent Homemaker Walworth
Gale Erickson Eminent Farmer Yankton
Wanda M. Smith Eminent Homemaker Beadle
David H. Bogue Eminent Farmer Union
Virginia M. Vander Wal Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Marvin L. Haag Eminent Farmer Potter
Nellie M. Willuweit Eminent Homemaker Pennington
Mary A. Deurmier Eminent Homemaker Charles Mix
Mervin Ogren Eminent Farmer Marshall
Esther Krutzfeldt Eminent Homemaker Beadle
John L. Luecke Eminent Farmer Deuel
Donald Fieber Eminent Farmer Deuel
Ardeth Kocourek Eminent Homemaker Bennett
Dorthy Nothdurft Eminent Homemaker Lincoln
Merwyn Walter Eminent Farmer Miner
Shirley Krause Eminent Homemaker Deuel
Robert G. Hoffman Eminent Farmer Faulk
Harold T. Hurlbert Eminent Farmer Clark
Georgia Jensen Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
Bernice Cuppy Eminent Homemaker Faulk
William C. Schuette Eminent Farmer Hyde
Virginia Anderson Eminent Homemaker Fall River
John Glaus Eminent Farmer Brule
Arlen Berwald Eminent Farmer Deuel
John Schwab Eminent Farmer Day
Carol Schubeck Eminent Homemaker Union
Lorraine Reaves Eminent Homemaker Moody
Doris Heine Eminent Homemaker Clay
Harold Anderson Eminent Farmer Hyde
Jeanne Bachand Eminent Homemaker Meade
Robert W. Sharp Eminent Farmer Brown
Agnes Panek Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
William Daniel Eminent Farmer Lake
Erna Putnam Eminent Homemaker Douglas
Gordon Brockmueller Eminent Farmer Hutchinson
Redella Runner Eminent Homemaker Bennett
James E. Brooking Eminent Farmer Sully
Chrys Daniel Eminent Homemaker Lake
Ernest C. Olson Eminent Farmer Hamlin
Mary Homelvig Eminent Homemaker Fall River
Selmer J. Anderson Eminent Farmer Deuel
John E. "Matt" Sutton Eminent Farmer Sully
Mary Ellen Murphy Eminent Homemaker Pennington
Wendell Leafstedt Eminent Farmer Union
Charlotte Seas Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Wilbert Blumhardt Eminent Farmer Edmunds
Emily Jennings Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
Janice Snyder Eminent Homemaker Meade
John W. Smith Eminent Farmer McCook
Martin Jorgensen Eminent Farmer Tripp
Mildred Acheson Eminent Homemaker Lake
Hilbert Bogue Eminent Farmer Lincoln
Orville K. Peterson Eminent Farmer Hyde
Florine Glaus Eminent Homemaker Brule
Ruth E. Nelson Eminent Homemaker Roberts
Oriska Stroschein Eminent Homemaker Deuel
Ralph H. Hansmeier Eminent Farmer Day
Louise LaBay Eminent Homemaker Spink
Walter H. Schwanke Eminent Farmer Codington
Roland Leonhardt Eminent Farmer Kingsbury
Albina Shindelbower Eminent Homemaker Hutchinson
Ingebert G. Fauske Eminent Farmer Jackson
Vera Fuller Eminent Homemaker Ziebach
Elizabeth Naughton Eminent Homemaker Hyde
Earl Acheson Eminent Farmer Lake
Paul E. Brown Eminent Farmer Brookings
Viola Schuh Eminent Homemaker Corson
Henry Knochenmus Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Leslie Zeller Eminent Farmer Clay
Camille Landekil Eminent Homemaker Moody
Laura Kirsch Eminent Homemaker Mellette
Eugene Strain Eminent Farmer Mellette
Martha Kettler Eminent Homemaker Marshall
Hazel Cowan Eminent Homemaker Day
Roy Houck Eminent Farmer Hughes
Elden (Delila) Tompkins Eminent Homemaker Hyde
Richard Daly Eminent Farmer Brown
Robert (Gladyce) Hammer Eminent Homemaker Moody
Willard Benson Eminent Farmer Fall River
Leonard E. Dailey Eminent Farmer Union
Vernon Goodroad Eminent Farmer Deuel
Martin (Fayola) Muchow Eminent Homemaker Minnehaha
Emmett (Delonde) Healy Eminent Homemaker Brule
Peter H. Ginsbach Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Francis (Anne) Feller Eminent Homemaker Miner
William P. Rausch Eminent Farmer Potter
Earl Eikmeier Eminent Farmer Moody
Joe (Violet) Biever Eminent Homemaker Fall River
Elvin E. Mitchell Eminent Farmer Lawrence
Delos (Genevieve) Melius Eminent Homemaker Faulk
Adele Davis Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Wilbert I. Symens Eminent Farmer Marshall
Vene C. Eitemiller Eminent Farmer Charles Mix
Selma Woods Eminent Homemaker Aurora
Harry Witt Eminent Farmer Hamlin
Harry (Selma) Martens Eminent Homemaker Beadle
John E. Sutton Eminent Farmer Sully
Ethel Miles Eminent Homemaker Gregory
John E. Elsing Eminent Farmer Spink
Evelyn Petik Eminent Homemaker Corson
Chris (Amy) K. Larson Eminent Homemaker Butte
Warren L. Wright Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Roy Norman Eminent Farmer Stanley
Arthur W. (Gyda) Keller Eminent Homemaker Potter
Albert C. Hauffe Eminent Farmer McPherson
Pauline Hageman Eminent Homemaker Fall River
T. Floyd Durland Eminent Farmer Moody
Lawrence Ingalls Eminent Farmer Meade
Mortimer (Catherine) Clifford Eminent Homemaker Shannon
Chester (Myrl) Moe Eminent Homemaker Hanson
John Gauger Eminent Farmer Deuel
Margaret Mastellar Eminent Homemaker Walworth
George Millar Eminent Homemaker Bennett
Merle Hanson Eminent Farmer Lincoln
Merritt Fenner Eminent Farmer Beadle
Harry Blair Eminent Farmer Meade
Edith Guindon Eminent Homemaker Aurora
Ida Marie Bentley Eminent Homemaker Day
Cather Clanton Eminent Homemaker Harding
Lloyd Jones Eminent Homemaker Hand
Lyman G. Merry Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Allen Sperry Eminent Farmer Brown
Henry Ripp Eminent Farmer Hutchinson
George (Stella) Malone Eminent Homemaker Shannon
Martin Jorgensen, Sr. Eminent Farmer Tripp
Everett (Cecelia) Baxter Eminent Homemaker Hamlin
Allan Wilson Eminent Homemaker Brown
Dorothy Rice Eminent Homemaker Bennett
Fred Holscher Eminent Farmer Faulk
Carl Anderson Eminent Farmer Ziebach
Anton Bierschbach Eminent Homemaker Day
L. W. (Mike) Herron Eminent Homemaker Potter
Ray Barnett Eminent Farmer Brookings
Enos Blair Eminent Farmer Meade
Albert Keffeler Eminent Farmer Meade
Otto Laue Eminent Homemaker Meade
Percy J. Wallace Eminent Farmer Marshall
Matthew Evans Eminent Homemaker Edmunds
Henry F Hansmeier Eminent Farmer Day
Louis J. Brooks Eminent Farmer Bennett
Earl L. Arne Eminent Homemaker Clark
Garrett C. Reynold Eminent Homemaker Sully
Frank Swope Eminent Farmer Faulk
Otto G. Meyer Eminent Farmer Harding
Esther M. Evans Eminent Homemaker Spink
Leonard Gaffin Eminent Homemaker Lincoln
Clifford Rush Eminent Farmer Hand
George Hodgson Eminent Homemaker Jerauld
Ivan L. Barkley Eminent Farmer Fall River
Esther Gross Eminent Homemaker Lake
H. P. Gallagher Eminent Homemaker Pennington
Everlett Fletcher Eminent Farmer Clark
Henry Preheim Eminent Farmer Turner
Will J. Kratochvil Eminent Homemaker Union
George Larson Eminent Homemaker Kingsbury
Edward J. Bailey Eminent Farmer Gregory
O. V. Olson Eminent Homemaker Beadle
Henry N. Dybvig Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Bert Tupper Eminent Homemaker Miner
Charles Ahrens Eminent Farmer Charles Mix
Charles Wieting Eminent Homemaker Spink
Frank Cundill Eminent Farmer Dewey
Ernest B. Ham Eminent Farmer Meade
William P. Hinckley Sr. Eminent Homemaker Potter
John Wiersma Eminent Homemaker Brookings
E. G. Sanderson Eminent Farmer Brookings
Joseph Schenk Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
Smith Robbins Eminent Farmer Codington
Arthur Sherburne Eminent Homemaker Deuel
Walter C. Taylor Eminent Farmer Gregory
A. J. Schuelke Eminent Homemaker Brown
William Rames Eminent Farmer Hutchinson
J. Rees Dillon Eminent Homemaker Perkins
Raymond Johnson Eminent Farmer Pennington
Joseph Sutera Eminent Homemaker Bon Homme
Grace Fairchild Eminent Homemaker Haakon
Sampson C. Thomas Eminent Farmer Bon Homme
Alfred J. Lien Eminent Farmer Charles Mix
T. A. Jackson Eminent Farmer Fall River
Frank McHugh Eminent Farmer Brown
Arthur Justice Eminent Homemaker Brookings
George Sisson Eminent Homemaker Butte
Joseph J. Curry Eminent Farmer Union
Arthur C. Kelsey Eminent Farmer Miner
Walter W. Eicholtz Eminent Homemaker Spink
Mary (Peter) Moe Eminent Homemaker Roberts
Henry Hertel Eminent Farmer Sully
Helen (R.P.) Johnson Eminent Homemaker Pennington
Harald N Opdahl Eminent Farmer Hamlin
Hannah (Lemke) Schlomer Eminent Homemaker Walworth
S. C. Mernaugh Eminent Homemaker Sanborn
Mary Alice (Van) Ludwig Eminent Homemaker Sully
J. F. McLoughlin Eminent Farmer Davison
Edward C. Slocum Eminent Farmer Campbell
Louisa F. Rehfeld Eminent Homemaker Brown
John Meland Eminent Farmer Roberts
Augusta (Fred) Dittman Eminent Homemaker Hyde
Henry Abild Eminent Farmer Clay
H. E. Baxter Eminent Farmer Hamlin
Clara Mae (H. M.) Rogers Eminent Homemaker Codington
John A. Cole Eminent Farmer Bon Homme
Mary E. Nold Eminent Homemaker Turner
Grant W. Morsman Eminent Farmer Butte
Anna Lou (G. W.) Mossing Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
Frericka Larson Eminent Homemaker Day
John Davies Eminent Farmer Edmunds
Anna (Thomas H.) Hicks Eminent Homemaker Roberts
W. F. Wyatt Eminent Farmer Fall River
L. T. Larsen Eminent Homemaker Perkins
William M. Davis Eminent Farmer Beadle
William M. Naessig Eminent Farmer Day
J. E. Boyd Eminent Homemaker Lake
Andrew T. Brakke Eminent Farmer Lyman
Ella (Peter P.) Vallery Eminent Homemaker Butte
Frank Agnew Eminent Farmer Kingsbury
Mary E. Kotrba Eminent Homemaker Davison
Anna (H. J.) Rehorst Eminent Homemaker Butte
Lawrence D. Test Eminent Farmer Davison
Thomas Keehn Eminent Farmer Turner
Marie (W. O.) Torvik Eminent Homemaker Roberts
August Maass Eminent Farmer Butte
Christina Lacey Eminent Homemaker Minnehaha
Annie Thoreson Eminent Homemaker Minnehaha
Leona (Henry L.) Rebbe Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
Joseph Rezac Eminent Farmer Yankton
Olynphious S. Thompson Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Lisle (R. L.) Cheney Eminent Homemaker Haakon
Carrie (Ed) Stitt Eminent Homemaker Spink
Paul C. Murphy Eminent Farmer Pennington
Leona Van Metre Eminent Homemaker McCook
Henry J. Briscoe Eminent Farmer Potter
Elsie (E. W.) Laisy Eminent Homemaker Harding
Albert R. Fryer Eminent Farmer Beadle
H. C. Halvorson Eminent Farmer Brookings
William A. Ruppel Eminent Homemaker Beadle
John R. Michaels Eminent Farmer Codington
Edward Bogue Eminent Farmer Lincoln
Addie Sloat Eminent Homemaker Potter
R. M. Crowder Eminent Farmer Union
Louis L. Meehan Eminent Homemaker Lake
Augustina M. Bucher Eminent Homemaker Hand
T. E. Hayes Eminent Farmer Perkins
L. B. Croll Eminent Homemaker Brookings
Jacob B. Severson Eminent Farmer Minnehaha
Chlora Delpha Strand Eminent Homemaker Brown
Titus C. Wenz Eminent Farmer Brown
William Dailey Eminent Farmer/Rancher Moody
Emma Hawkes Eminent Homemaker Douglas
Robert L. Cheney Eminent Farmer Haakon
Charles Rasmussen Eminent Homemaker Brown
George Ernst Eminent Homemaker Brown
Thornton M. Babcock Eminent Farmer Codington
Albert Hill Eminent Farmer Hanson
Clara Jane Johnson Eminent Homemaker Lawrence
Carrie H. Davis Eminent Homemaker Spink
Jorgen J. Boe Eminent Farmer Pennington
Lillian Renner Eminent Homemaker Minnehaha
John T. Belk Eminent Farmer Codington
Inga Dickerson Eminent Homemaker Turner
Willis H. Davis Eminent Farmer Spink
Percy R. Crothers Eminent Farmer Brookings
Marith Nelsen Boe Eminent Homemaker Lyman
Dave Sour Eminent Farmer Hamlin
Martin Sorenson Eminent Homemaker Yankton
John Robertson Eminent Farmer Fall River
Oline O'Banion Eminent Homemaker Lincoln
A. J. Wimple Eminent Farmer Lincoln
John M. Downer Eminent Farmer Turner
History of the Program

The Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community Program began in 1927 with the recognition of two Eminent Farmers by South Dakota State College, now South Dakota State University. The following year, the program was expanded with the addition of two Eminent Homemaker honorees. In the early years, the Eminent Farmer and Homemaker awards were much like honorary degrees. In the 1950s, the purpose of the program was clarified and the awards were designated as a very high honor, uniquely different from honorary degrees.

This program has been continuous since 1927 with the exception of 1942, 1943, 1945 and 2020. In 2011, the name was changed to Eminent Farmer/Rancher and Homemaker. In 2018, the full name of the award program was changed to Eminent Leaders in Agriculture, Family and Community.

Dig deeper into the history of this program by checking out these materials.