
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” Ronald Reagan
DeKalb County Farm Bureau has had some great leaders – from the early beginnings of the Soil Improvement Association to the present day Farm Bureau.
In our 108-year history, 15 presidents have exercised their leadership with the support of boards of directors and staff to propel the county Farm Bureau forward.
We owe much gratitude to these presidential leaders who served our Farm Bureau under varied circumstances and changing economic times. As leaders they brought people together to grow Farm Bureau into a premier farm organization.
In 1973, a Hall of Presidents was created at the Farm Bureau Building at North Sixth Street, DeKalb. In the newly remodeled building, presidential portraits lined the lobby corridor – then featuring 10 presidents.
When the new DeKalb County Farm Bureau Center for Agriculture was constructed in 1996, the portraits were relocated to a new Hall of Presidents, off the lobby and outside the walls of the Farm Bureau office. The new hallway showcased 12 presidents then. Now the Hall of Presidents is up to date with all 15 presidents.
We share the pride in our Farm Bureau presidents by featuring each one and some of their accomplishments in this special edition during our country’s presidential month.
Browse the photo gallery below to learn more about each president.
- Dillon S. Brown 1912-1923
- Henry H. Parke 1923-1924
- Henry J. White 1924-1928
- Aaron J. Plapp 1928-1931
- Lucius D. Sears 1931-1933
- E.E. Houghtby 1933-1946
- George Bark 1946-1950
- Lloyd B. Waldee 1950-1956
- Howard W. Mullins 1956-1974
- Donald H. Chaplin 1974-1077
- Allan Aves 1977-1986
- Ken Barshinger 1986-1997
- Vince Faivre 1997-2002
- Paul Rasmussen, Jr. 2002-2012
- Mark Tuttle 2012-2020