Sam Skemp was presented the ‘Distinguished Service to Wisconsin Agriculture’ award for his outstanding contributions to Wisconsin’s agricultural industry during the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s 97th Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells on December 4.
A Wisconsin native, Skemp grew up on a dairy farm on St. Josephs Ridge by La Crosse. Skemp started working for the FS system as a dairy nutritionist in Coon Valley after earning a degree in automotive mechanics from Western Wisconsin Technical College.
Skemp held several positions during his career with FS in Illinois and Wisconsin including branch manager, marketing manager, general manager and regional manager and finished his 43-year career as general manager of Frontier-Servco FS, now Insight FS. With Skemp’s management, Insight FS is positioned to be a leader in technology with updated equipment and facilities to ensure that the cooperative will be there for the patrons for many years to come.
“Though now retired, his skills were critical in serving farmers and building strong relationships with Farm Bureau and agriculture statewide,” said WFBF President Jim Holte.
As a life-long member of Farm Bureau, Skemp also is a proud supporter of Rural Mutual Insurance. He worked with Illinois and Wisconsin Farm Bureaus through his role at FS, and also dedicated time to the Dane County Farm Bureau. Skemp has previously traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with legislators and served as a delegate to the WFBF Annual Meeting. He continues to judge Discussion Meets.
“His commitment to the agriculture community was evident from the beginning and he quickly gained the trust of all who worked with him,” added Holte. “He is extremely deserving of this award.”
Skemp and his wife, Julie, are the proud parents of six adult children and have 10 grandchildren.
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