Agricultural Business Council Recognizes Dillingham Awardees

(Left) Ron Seeber & Greg Krissek, (right) Ron seeber & Don Nikodim

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Board Room at Union Station was a packed house for the Agricultural Business Council’s 15th Annual Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence. It is the Council’s highest recognition, honoring individuals who “embody the entrepreneurial spirit and drive the economic growth of Heartland’s agribusiness industry.” This year’s honorees were Greg Krissek, retired CEO of Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Corn Commission, and Don Nikodim, who served as Executive Director of the Missouri Pork Association for 51 years.

Council board chairman Ron Seeber, president and CEO of KGFA/KARA, introduced keynote speaker Bill Dillingham who recalled his family’s involvement in the Kansas City stockyards and the American Royal over four generations. Agriculture and livestock put Kansas City on the map, Dillingham noted. “My grandfather, Jay B. Dillingham, was president of the Kansas City Stockyards for 30 years,” he said. His great-grandfather was one of the founders of the American Royal horse and livestock show in 1899.

In his introduction of honoree Greg Krissek, Chad Epler, Chair of the National Corn Growers Association’s Research and New Uses Action Team, described Krissek as a fervent supporter of agricultural education and a champion of innovation. In his acceptance remarks, Krissek said that agribusiness would meet its challenges and that facing them would require transformational leadership. Both Epler and Krissek stressed the importance of identifying and developing new uses for corn products. “Bio-based products are a win-win for everyone,” said Epler. Over his nine-year stint at the helm of Kansas Corn, Krissek said he strived to be “a bridge builder” who could facilitate the organization’s rise to new levels of development and innovation.

Longtime Missouri Farmers Association leader Dr. Alan Wessler, a recipient of several agriculture awards in his own right, introduced honoree Don Nikodim. Wessler said that Nikodim was best known—among his other accomplishments—as the one who led the Missouri pork industry through the 1980s Farm Crisis. Dr. Wessler likened Nikodim to an individual–as poet Rudyard Kipling wrote–could keep his head when all those about him were losing theirs. “He had the critical insight to stay focused as he developed a way to overcome negative situations.”

Nikodim told Council members he was very fortunate to have been involved in agriculture his entire life. “I had good parents and school teachers.” He has tried to pass along the lessons he learned from them to children, youth, and colleagues. “We can make a difference by teaching and tutoring.” He attributed his success and achievements in the pork industry to strong, dedicated, capable staff. “I’ve been blessed to have been surrounded by people who make me look good.”

Nikodim summarized his love for the community he served: “The folks out raising pigs are just phenomenal; it’s a pleasure to work with them and see their commitment to the business, to leadership, and to the sacrifice they put forth in their organizations to make things better.”

During an interview with Farm Journal upon retiring in 2024, he remarked to editor Jennifer Shike: “One of the neat things about being around hog producers is that when you get a group of them together, it’s not a gripe session. It’s usually fixated on what can we do to get better. That positive attitude makes serving the industry such an enjoyment.”