Volume 4, Issue 7
RDC Commission
www.ruralnebraska.info
RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSIONERS:
Executive
Committee:
M.L. Martin
Tim Shafer
Charles Karpf, Jr.
Ross Garwood
Commissioners:
Steve Ausdemore
Richard Baier
Karl Elmshaeuser
Edgar Hicks
Greg Ibach
John Jordison
Marge Lauer
Gayle McClure
Mark L. Matulka
Marilyn Mecham
Lance Morgan
Maxine Moul
Bryce Neidig
Connie Reimers-Hild
Tim Shafer
Michael Smith
Senator Stuthman
Kerry Winterer
September 2009
NEW COMMISSIONERS WELCOMED
The recent announcement of Kerry Winterer as CEO of Health and Human Services has filled one of
two vacant seats on the Rural Development Commission.
Kerry assumed his new duties July 13. He has a
bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated from Columbia Univer-
sity School of Law in New York. In 1999, Kerry was
named Nebraska’s Champion of Small Business by the
Nebraska Business Development Council. He has
served on various community organizations boards, in-
cluding United Way, Boy Scouts of America, and the Heart-
land Family Service.
The second vacant seat will be filled by Maxine Moul as she begins
her new position as State Director of USDA-Rural Develop-
ment. Maxine’s long and prestigious career in Nebraska in-
cludes previously serving as Lt. Governor, Director of the
Nebraska Department of Economic Development, President
of Nebraska Community Foundation and EndowNebraska
Coordinator. She and her husband also founded Maverick
Media in Syracuse. She is a graduate of the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in journalism.
The legislature added a seat to the Commission and
reserved it for the Nebraska Historical Society. Michael
Smith, Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nebraska State Historical Soci-
ety since 2006, is the newest member of the Commission.
An Illinois native, Smith holds Master’s degrees in Manage-
ment and American History. Before coming to Nebraska
he served as President/CEO of the American Textile His-
tory Museum in Lowell, Mass. Previously, he was Execu-
tive Director of the Tennessee Historical Commission,
Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science in Daven-
port, Iowa, and Buffalo, New York Museum of Science, as
well as President of the American Association for State
and Local History, and Deputy Director for the Michigan
Historical Museum.
Page 2 Newsletter Title
RDC COMMISSION MEETS IN OGALLALA
The RDC held its regularly scheduled meeting in August at the Ogallala Court House
with several special guests, including Senators Hansen and, Schilz,. Senator Stuthman, the RDC’s
legislative representative, also was in attendance. The meeting was preceded by a special interim
review of the Agricultural Innovation and Value-Added, and the Building Entrepreneurial grant
programs. The interim information will be updated and shared
with all senators in the RDC annual report.
Lori and Pat Gamet (5 Trails Winery in Paxton) shared
their VAA success story about their new winery and how the grant
program has impacted their business and the Paxton community.
They spoke about future business plans, the opportunities for
other grape producers, and proudly announced they had just re-
ceived award notifications for three of their wines.
New RDC commissioners, Steve Ausdemore and Kerry
Winter attended and were welcomed to the Commission.
Meeting highlights included presentations on the Rusty Bucket evaluation of local economies, a recap of a study on people relocating
to Nebraska, NCIP Leadership Challenge information, and a look at
another state’s broadband mapping and redundancy program. Busi-
ness included the passage of the Commission’s legislative plan.
The Commission also announced the First Annual “Rural Ne-
braska Views” photo contest which will run through November 20.
See page 3 for the “Rural Nebraska Views” photo contest rules and
more information. RDC meeting minutes can be found at
www.ruralnebraska.info.
The next scheduled RDC meeting is Nov. 5 in Kearney.
Page 3
RURAL NEBRASKA VIEWS PHOTO CONTEST
The Nebraska Rural Development Commission is pleased to
launch the first Rural Nebraska Views photo contest.
Each photographer may enter up to four (4) photographs taken in the
state that expresses a “view” of rural Nebraska, which may include, but is
not limited to:
Landscapes
Festivals and events
Landmarks
Agricultural-related activities
Other expressions celebrating rural Nebraska
Photos do not have to be current, but the photographer must submit entries
within one of the following age groups that he or she will have attained as of
December 31, 2009:
Class I – Pre-school Class II – Grades K-6
Class III – Grades 7-12
Class IV – Adult (graduated from high school or 18+)
First, second, and third place prizes will be named for each Class.
Entry Requirements:
Entries will be accepted through November 20, 2009
Color and/or black-and-white photos will be accepted.
Photos must be .jpg digital images no larger than 2 MB.
Photos must be submitted electronically to
Mailed submissions will NOT be accepted.
The photographer’s name, age category, phone number, email ad-
dress and mail address must be identified in the submission email.
Identification of the event or location is also requested.
By submitting photos, you are asserting you own the right to the photo and are
permitting the Nebraska Rural Development Commission and the Nebraska
Department of Economic Development to use your photos in any future
marketing materials.
All submissions will be reviewed for appropriate content, and subsequently
deemed eligible or ineligible for judging. Prize winners will be selected by a
committee of professionals including photographers and marketing experts.
Winners will be announced, their photos displayed on the Nebraska Rural De-
velopment Commission website www.ruralnebraska.info
and featured in the Commission newsletter.
For more information, contact
Page 4
Web based
trainings
available
on
a
variety
of
topics
Be sure to get the Extension eShip Webinars that are listed be-low down in your calendar for the next year. The one hour webinars will be held the third Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. CST/9:00 a.m. MST. Topics scheduled will feature many of the resources that community leaders can use as they work toward developing a sustainable community. The first session will be on Tuesday, September 22 at 10:00 a.m. CST at http://breeze.unl.edu/eship09/ . This webinar will feature the multi-use 4-H Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) program. This curriculum can be implemented in middle school, high school classrooms, taught via camps, after school clubs or to 4-H audiences. By involving the youth and adult business people in the community youth learn that their com-munities are interested in them returning back home. Join the webinar to learn how you can incorporate this successful program into your commu-nity. Extension eShip Webinar Schedule Link: http://breeze.unl.edu/eship09/ September 22, 2009 – ESI (Youth Entrepreneurship Investigation-Incorporating It Into Communities) – Dennis Kahl/Nancy Eberle/ October 20, 2009 – SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) – Lisa Tedesco November 17, 2009 – Nebraska EDGE – Marilyn Schlake December 15, 2009 – Nebraska Cooperative Development Center – Jim Crandall January 19, 2010 – Entrepreneurial Thinking – Connie Reimers-Hild February 16, 2010 – eCommerce – Connie Hancock March 16, 2010 – Buy Fresh Buy Local – Billene Nemec April 20, 2010 – Market Research – Steve Taylor– UNL Food Processing Center May 18, 2010 – Direct Marketing – Laurie Hodges June 15, 2010 – Security Podcast – MarilynSchlake/Connie Hancock July 20, 2010 – Developing Your Product – Lori Keeler More information on the Extension Entrepreneurship Initiative can be found at http://huskerpreneur.wordpress.com/
ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
REMINDER: The Nebraska Agricultural Innovation and Value-Added
Agriculture grant applications and the Building Entrepreneurial Com-
munities grant applications are due FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 no
later than noon. See www.ruralnebraska.info for application forms or
Sandi Kaskie
Assistant to the Director
Phone: 308-535-8018
Fax: 308-535-8019
E-mail:
The Rural Development Commission
advocates for effective development
in rural Nebraska.
The Nebraska Rural Development Commission is a voice for
rural communities in the creation of laws, policies, and other
initiatives that affect economic, civic, and social conditions and
foster cooperation and understanding among all agencies and
organizations, public and private.
The Nebraska Rural Development Commission helps commu-
nities and businesses maximize opportunities by improving ac-
cess to capital and resources, markets, products, and business
expertise (mentoring) as well as social and cultural resources.
September 25—APPLICATION DEADLINE
Building Entrepreneurial Communities grant
AND
Agricultural Innovation and Value-Added Agriculture grant
Looking ahead:
Oct. 20-22—Nebraska Travel Conference—Norfolk
Oct. 24—”From Recipe to Reality” seminar—Scottsbluff
Nov. 5—RDC meeting—Kearney
Nov. 6—Governor’s Conference on Rural
Development — Kearney
Jan. 7—RDC meeting and Senatorial Brief-
ing—Lincoln
Feb. 24—Marketplace—Kearney
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
We’re on the Web:
www.ruralnebraska.info
Nebraska Rural
Development Commission
1101 Halligan Drive #10
North Platte, NE 69101
Linda Fettig
Executive Director
Phone and cell:
308-380-4966
Fax: 308-749-2223
E-mail: