Hall of Fame

  • Hall of Fame Nominations

    Download the Hall of Fame nomination form.

    2008 Hall of Fame inductees

      J. Brent Hurd

    With a well-versed background in Ag Economics, Hurd has succeeded in dairy farming, real estate management and brokerage careers after graduating from Tennessee-Knoxville in 1953. His ventures have led him to manage a Grade A dairy farm for 10 years and spend 16 years with the largest real estate management company in the southeast as CEO, overseeing 12,000 residential rental units and 300 employees. He also founded Hurd Real Estate, a company his son now operates.

    His dedication to Alpha Gamma Rho emanates through his numerous leadership roles. As an undergraduate, Hurd was a strong Alpha Kappa leader and a member of the first Chapter Hall of Fame. He served on the Housing Resources Trust Board for eight years, as National Director for six years and as Vice Grand President. Although retired, he continually works as a consultant for sales and renovations of Alpha Gamma Rho Chapter Houses. Hurd's lifelong dedication to the Fraternity and outstanding service to the agriculture and real estate industries have qualified his recognition for the Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of Fame.

      Gene L. Swackhamer

    With a well-versed background in Ag Economics, Swackhamer served as CEO and President of Farm Credit Bank of Baltimore for 18 years before retiring. After graduating from Purdue in 1957, he successfully managed the survival of agricultural credit during the farm crisis of the mid-80s while crafting the financial assistance package enacted by President Reagan.

     

    His devotion to the Fraternity has been proven through his generous financial assistance and leadership as director of the Educational Foundation. He founded the Heritage Club and established an Agricultural Economics/Business Scholarship fund to expand opportunities for students. As Grand President, Swackhamer solidified understanding and support for the Brotherhood Program while bringing more attention to chapter alcohol abuse and strengthening the Fraternity's policy on alcohol usage.

     

    Swackhamer's efforts have been awarded through several recognitions including Distinguished Agricultural Alumni of Purdue, National 4-H Hall of Fame and AGR's Brother of the Century. His lifelong dedication to the Fraternity and outstanding service to the business industry have qualified his recognition for the Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of Fame.

     

      Marvin J. Walter

    With a well-versed background in Animal Science, Walter joined the American Meat Institute after graduating from Iowa State in 1964, where he began his innovative business affiliations. Since graduating, Walter has organized and built 18 small businesses and provided several hundred jobs within the meat industry.

    His commitment to Eta Chapter shines through his 25 years of service as the only ongoing Board member of the Eta Alumni Corporation and Eta Alumni Educational Foundation. Through his entrepreneurial spirit, Walter provides counsel and support to motivate many young AGR members in new business ventures.
     
    Walter's accomplishments have been recognized through numerous awards and recognitions including Iowa Cattlemen's Association Hall of Fame, Small Business Person of the Year and AGR's Brother of the Century. His lifelong dedication to the Fraternity and outstanding service to the business industry have qualified his recognition for the Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of Fame.

     

  • Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity

    Order in which members were inducted:

    1974
      1. Sleeter Bull, Ohio State
      2. Maynard H. Coe, Minnesota
      3. Earl L. Butz, Purdue

    1976
      4. J. Holmes Martin, Kentucky
      5. J. Clyde Driggers, Florida
      6. Nathan L. Rice, Illinois

    1978
      7. Frank E. Mullen, Iowa State
      8. David C. Pfendler, Purdue
      9. Paul K. Bresee, Illinois

    1980
      10. Emil M. Mrak, California
      11. W. Elmo Baumann, Oklahoma State
      12. Harold R. McCulloch, Pennsylvania State

    1982
      13. E. T. York, Auburn
      14. Clifford Hardin, Purdue

    1984
      15. A. B. Hamilton, Maryland
      16. A. B. Sawyer, Illinois
      17. Don Paarlberg, Purdue

    1986
      18. Russ Mawby, Michigan State
      19. Harold White, Georgia
      20. Vern Freeman, Purdue
      21. Jerry Litton, Missouri

    1988
      22. Wallace Jerome, Lambda
      23. William B. Sayre, Iowa State
      24. Orville Redenbacher, Purdue

    1990
      25. Lindley Finch, Iowa State
      26. True Morse, Missouri
      27. Lee Morgan, Illinois
      28. Ovid Bay, Missouri

    1992
      29. Doyle Conner, Florida
      30. Ed Lidvall, Iowa State

    1994
      31. L. Gene Lemon, Illinois
      32. Herbert Plambeck, Iowa State

    1996
      33. Dean C. DeCarli, California-Davis
      34. Roland C. Ferguson, Iowa State
      35. Milton G. Soper, Cornell

    1998
      36. John D. Fuqua, Flordia
      37. Loren K. Robinson, Western Illinois
      38. Ivan K. Strickler, Kansas State

    2000
      39. Dale Bruhn, Wisconsin-Madison
      40. Karl E. Gardner, Purdue
      41. Ted A. Priebe, Purdue

    2002
      42. Warren D. Nichols-Kansas State
      43. L.S. "Bill" Pope-Michigan State
      44. Thomas M. Sutherland-Colorado State
      45. Charles L. Thompson-Oklahoma State

    2006
      46. Zane Akins, Missouri
      47. Bobby N. Duck, Tennessee Martin
      48. Robert L. Oehrtman, Ohio State
      49. Gerald C. Puppe, North Dakota State

    2008
      50. Gene L. Swackhamer, Purdue
      51. Marvin J. Walter, Iowa State
      52. J. Brent Hurd, Tennesse-Knoxville