Magazines spring 2018 cover crop smaller | Page 16

Leadership &
Legacies
Rick Runyan earns
35-year service award
Rick Runyan of Clay Center, Nebraska, earned a
35-year service award at Servi-
Tech’s annual Professional
Development Conference in
Kearney.
Runyan started working
at Servi-Tech in 1982, and
celebrated his 36th year with
the company in February.
He described the Servi-Tech
job as an ideal fit for him.
“Coming out of college I
thought my perfect job would
entail being exposed to all of
different aspects of agronomy,
including insects, weeds,
diseases and soils,” Runyan
said. “There were other careers
out there, but they involved
things other than being in a
field. The job at Servi-Tech
seemed like a good fit.”
Runyan worked in Stratton,
Colorado for five years. He then moved to Ainsworth,
Nebraska, where he worked for 26 years and raised
a family. He relocated to Clay Center, Nebraska five
years ago and manages a staff of 10 agronomists in the
central part of the state.
“First and foremost, I like the job itself,” Runyan said.
“I really enjoy working with the staff, our customers,
and cherish employee relationships that have
developed while at Servi-Tech.”
Steve Soden, Chief Crop Services Officer, said
Runyan’s 35-year service award is a
landmark to be celebrated.
“To have an employee with
the amount of experience and
knowledge that Rick has is
incredible,” Soden said. “His
contributions to Servi-Tech have
helped pave the way to get the
company where it is today.”
Agronomy, or at least the basic
components of it, have not
changed a lot in 35 years, Runyan
said. But what has changed is the
precision side of agronomy —
including grid sampling, variable
rate technology, aerial imagery,
remote soil moisture sensing, and
data management.
“Making a life-long career out of
my first job was not on the radar,
but that turned out to be a great
experience,” Runyan said.
“That’s unheard of these days,” Runyan said. “More
of our employees should contemplate making a career
out of their employment with Servi-Tech. This is
a great company and there are new career pathing
opportunities within the company. We have a great
future ahead of us in agriculture.”
Rick and his wife, Deb, live near Clay Center,
Nebraska. They have four children and three
grandchildren.
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