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LITTLE ROCK — Jack G. Justus, one of just five
men to serve as executive vice president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau,
passed away Sunday. He spent 37 years with the organization, and served
as its chief administrator from 1982-97.
Prior to his position as executive vice president, Justus
served the Farm Bureau as vice president-executive assistant (1975-82),
legislative director (1971-75) and district field coordinator
(1960-71). Before joining the organization, he worked as a county
agricultural agent with the Cooperative Extension Service in Craighead,
Izard and Clay counties in northeast Arkansas.
While EVP for the Farm Bureau, the organization’s
membership increased from 114,000 to 204,000. He was instrumental in
the development of Farm Bureau Center, the organization’s headquarters
located at the juncture of interstates 430 and 630. At the time of its
completion, it was the first major office building in the now-bustling
commercial area.
Justus was inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1998.
A native of Lead Hill (Boone County), Justus attended
Arkansas Tech University and the University of Arkansas, graduating
with honors in agriculture.
Justus was named Progressive Farmer’s “Man of the
Year in Service to Arkansas Agriculture” in 1996, and was honored as
Distinguished Alumnus for the University of Arkansas’ College of
Agriculture in 1997. Additionally, Justus was a member of Gamma Sigma
Delta Agriculture Society, and was awarded an Honorary American Farmer
degree in 1985 by FFA.
Justus also served on the boards of the Arkansas 4-H
Foundation, Arkansas FFA Foundation, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue
Shield, First Commercial Bank Corporation, and the State Chamber of
Commerce.
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