2006 Hall of Fame Inductees

    Alpha Gamma Rho is proud to announce the 2006 Hall of Fame inductees.  They are Zane Akins, Missouri; Bobby Duck, Tennessee-Martin; Robert Oehrtman, Ohio State; and Gerald Puppe, North Dakota State.  These four will receive Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity’s highest honor in Breckenridge, Colorado on August 15 at the 2006 National Convention. Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of Fame now includes 49 members of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity with this year’s four inductees.

    Philip Josephson, Executive Director of the Fraternity, in announcing Zane’s selection, said, “Zane Akins has been a vital leader in Alpha Gamma Rho.  His volunteerism, leadership, and chapter strategic planning, has helped this fraternity reach new levels of accomplishment and greatness. We are delighted to welcome him into the Hall of Fame.”    Zane Akins was born in Bethel, Kansas in 1940.  He was president of his high school student body, a member and officer of his high school FFA chapter, lettered in basketball, track and music, and graduated salutatorian of his class during 1958 in Humansville, Missouri. 

    Zane became a member of the Theta Chapter at the University of Missouri in 1959.  He graduated with honors from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture.  During college he was a member of the Dairy Science Club, Agriculture Club, and a representative of the Missouri Student Branch of American Dairy Science Association.  Zane’s chapter offices included Chaplain, Secretary and Noble Ruler.  To date as an alumnus of Theta Chapter he has facilitated planning for Theta’s new chapter house, solicited funds for a new chapter house, was featured speaker at Theta’s 75th Anniversary Founder’s Day, and has been a financial donor.     

    At the national level Zane has served as Regional Vice President, Grand President, served on the National Board of Directors, conducted participative leadership workshops for advisers, facilitated the fraternity’s Century Two Strategic Plan, facilitated many chapter strategic planning sessions, and assisted with many strategic decisions in the progress of this fraternity. 

    Zane is currently a personal financial assistant, management consultant, and volunteer.  He is also a real estate agent and investor.  His career since graduation has included being part of a dairy farming partnership in Missouri, and an artificial insemination technician for NOBA, Inc., in Ohio.  Between 1966 and 1990 he was employed by the Holstein Association of America; first as program director for the state of Wisconsin, raising through the ranks to Chief Executive Officer in 1978 at age 37. He led the Association for 13 years to historic levels of program participation and worldwide recognition. He was the principle of Zane Akins and Associates; Chairman and CEO of Anitech Identifications Systems, Inc.; Regional Manager of Primerica Financial Services, Inc.; Vice President of Earthwide Systems, Inc.; partner of A&S Associates, LTD.; and president and chairman of National Integrated Technologies, Inc.

    Zane is an AGR Brother of the Century award recipient, received the Chicago Alumni and Tri-State Breeders Man of the Year Awards, National Pedigreed Livestock Council Distinguished Service Honoree, Hall of Fame Inductee of his High School and listed in several Who’s Who Worldwide.  Zane has been honored by many other associations and organizations, and served on many committees. He served on the Board of Directors of Vermont National Bank, a prominent financial institution throughout Vermont and surrounding areas.

    Philip Josephson, Executive Director of the Fraternity, in announcing Bobby’s selection said, “Bobby has contributed a great deal to the university system, development of agriculture learning, and Alpha Gamma Rho.  Serving as a chapter adviser, and through chapter and national volunteer positions, he has greatly influenced undergraduate and alumni members alike.  Bobby stands tall as a brother who is a true gentleman and tremendous example for all to emulate.”  

    Bobby was born in Reagan, Tennessee, in 1939.  Bobby became a charter member of the Alpha Upsilon Chapter at the University of Tennessee-Martin in 1966.  Bobby was one of the ‘Founding 20’ of the chapter’s student group that organized the colony for the Alpha Upsilon Chapter. 

    Bobby received his bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture in 1961, master’s degree in agronomy in 1963, and Ph.D. in agronomy in 1964.  During college he was president of the UTM Agriculture Club, associate editor of the student newspaper, president of the all students Association, selected to Who’s Who in American High Schools and Universities, received volunteer award in 1961 as an outstanding graduate, and graduated summa cum laude.

    Bobby has served as the adviser for Alpha Upsilon Chapter from 1966 to 1971 and 1987 to 1999.  He was a workshop facilitator for five leadership seminars, chairman of the workshop "Rituals and Values” at the 1994 national convention, and workshop facilitator at the 1996 and 1998 national conventions.  He also served as a member of the national task forces on the Revision of the Ritual, Liability Insurance, and Improvement of Leadership Seminars.

    Currently Bobby is a professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee-Martin.  His career has included serving as an assistant professor at the University of Florida; assistant dean for the college of agriculture, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor, at the University of Tennessee-Martin.  He has served on numerous committees on departmental, school, campus and UT system levels.  He is author or co-author of 112 publications (research reports, agriculture experiment station bulletins, journal articles, symposium proceedings).  Bobby has also taught thousands of students in diverse courses during 1966 to present; many have subsequently excelled in graduate studies and the agriculture industry.

    Philip Josephson, Executive Director of the Fraternity, in announcing Bob’s selection said, “Through teaching, research, and advising the Pi Chapter at Oklahoma State University, Bob has made a great impact on the lives of students, undergraduate AGR members, and the agriculture industry.  His history of research, teaching, and volunteerism proves his worth of this honor.”

    Bob was born in Greenville, Ohio in 1939.  He became a member of the Beta Chapter at The Ohio State University in 1958.  He earned his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Agriculture during 1961, at Oregon State University he earned his Master’s of Science degree in Agriculture Economics during 1964, at Iowa State University he earned his Ph.D. in Economics during 1970.

    As an undergraduate Bob served as VNR House Management officer, Homecoming chairman, and assistant to the Rush program.  Since 1979 he has served as Pi Chapter Adviser at Oklahoma State University.  He has also served as co-chair for numerous national convention committees.

    Bob began teaching and research in the Agriculture Economics Department at Oklahoma State in February of 1970.  Since then he has become tenured and continues to teach and perform research including authoring over 150 research papers in various areas of economics.  He is currently at a 46 percent teaching and 54 percent research position - including Commodity Future Markets, Agriculture Marketing and Prices, Internships in Agriculture Economics and special problems - for the university. 

    Bob is an AGR Brother of the Century, was awarded the Outstanding Adviser Award in 1983, 2000, and 2002.  He also was awarded the Outstanding AGR Alumni Award for Pi Chapter in 1986.   His honors and recognition are represented from Boy Scouts of America, Brotherhood Member of the Order of the Arrow (a Scoutings Honor Society), Eagle Scouts, along with agriculture, agriculture economic, and teaching industries. 

    Philip Josephson, Executive Director of the Fraternity, in announcing Jerry’s selection said, “Jerry has been a key leader in advancement of the crop insurance and agriculture industries.  He has served Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity at all levels and continues to serve well.  It is with great pride that the fraternity honors Jerry for his leadership and hard work.”

    Jerry was born during in Grafton, North Dakota, and grew up on his family farm in northeast North Dakota.  During high school he earned a State FFA Degree and was elected North Dakota State FFA Vice President.  He was the Walsh County (Park River, North Dakota) agricultural school student body president, football team captain, and member of the National Honor Society.

    Jerry became a member of the Epsilon Chapter at North Dakota State in 1957.  He received his bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture education in 1960, and his master’s of science degree in public administration in 1974 at Southern Illinois University.  His AGR involvement as an undergraduate included chaplain and alumni secretary.  He attended two regional fraternity leadership seminars and led the Epsilon Chapter in several all campus music events. 

    As an alumnus he has also served as a Founder’s Day speaker, facilitated long-term

chapter planning throughout the fraternity, provided continuous financial support to Epsilon Chapter and the national fraternity; served as Grand President, National Board Director Housing Resources Trust Board Trustee, Regional Vice President; has been active in the Washington, D.C., and Kansas City alumni chapters; served on the Investment, Scholarship and Fraternity History committees; was a Brotherhood Program trainer, VIP fundraiser; attended 14 national conventions since 1974. 

    During college he was president of the Saddle and Sirloin Club, and Gamma Delta; was commissioned a 2nd Lt. US Army as a ROTC graduate; member of the livestock judging team; member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities; and won the all campus talent contest playing the piano.

    Since college Jerry was an International Farm Youth Exchange Delegate from North Dakota to Lebanon in 1960; an Army Officer at Governors Island, New York during 1961-1963; and a vocational agriculture instructor from 1963-1964 in McClusky, North Dakota.  The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation of the United States Department of Agriculture then employed him from 1964 to 1993, primarily in Washington, D.C. and Kansas City.  From 1993 to 2004 he was vice president of National Crop Insurance Services – an international service organization for the crop insurance industry located in Overland Park, Kansas. 

    Jerry’s honors from the fraternity include Outstanding Alumnus for Epsilon, Washington, D.C. Alumni, and Chicago Alumni chapters; Epsilon Chapter Hall of Fame inductee, and Brother of the Century.  Through his years of work and service to the agriculture and agriculture insurance industries, Jerry has earned many honors and served on many committees, including on the FFA Sponsors Board. 

    In his community Jerry has been active at his church, a homeowners Association Board Member, and a youth basketball and soccer coach.  Jerry married Marsha McNickle in April, 1966.  They have one son and one grandchild.  Jerry and Marsha reside in Leawood, Kansas.

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