Nebraska Cooperative Council Annual Meeting and Hall of Fame
KEARNEY, NE--The 80th Annual Meeting of the Nebraska Cooperative Council will be held on Wednesday, November 19th at the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney. One of the highlights of this year’s meeting will be the induction of two individuals into the Nebraska Cooperative Council Cooperative Hall of Fame.
The Council’s Board of Directors implemented the NCC Cooperative Hall of Fame in 1999 as a way to recognize individuals who, through their service and leadership, have impacted the cooperative system in Nebraska.
On November 19th, the Council will induct Tom Houser and Greg Sabata into the Nebraska Cooperative Council Hall of Fame.
Tom Houser ... With his deep understanding of cooperative finance, paired with his commitment to the cooperative business model, Tom Houser's distinguished 41 year career has been critical in developing Nebraska's agricultural cooperatives into financially resilient sources of economic stability and competition for their farmer members.
Tom began his cooperative career in 1980 as an Assistant Loan Officer with the Omaha Bank for Cooperatives. His expertise, integrity, and commitment to service earned him increasing responsibility. He retired in 2022 as Lead Relationship Manager for CoBank, where he played a vital role in supporting and strengthening cooperative enterprises across the state as well as in developing a vital source of financing for the ethanol industry through CoBank and the Farm Credit System.
As a trusted facilitator for the Nebraska Cooperative Council's director development programs, Tom helped shape generations of cooperative leaders. His contributions include 21 years on the Council's Excellence in Cooperative Education Committee; 13 years participating in the Director/Manager Workshop; 17 years facilitating key portions of the Director Certification Program; and facilitating 4 Graduate Director Programs. His steady leadership, deep knowledge, and engaging teaching style were instrumental in building the governance capacity of Nebraska's agricultural cooperative boards of directors.
Greg Sabata ... Greg Sabata is recognized for his outstanding leadership, dedication, and advocacy on behalf of Nebraska's agricultural cooperative system.
A lifelong farmer, Greg served on the Board of Directors of Frontier Cooperative for 33 years—most of those as Chairman. His leadership style emphasized teamwork, collaboration, and a deep commitment to serving the needs of the cooperative's farmer-owners.
Greg invested his time and talent as an advocate for the cooperative business model. He built strong relationships with cooperative leaders across the state, becoming a well-known and respected voice within the cooperative community. His commitment extended to the national level, participating in four Washington, D.C. fly-ins, where he met with Nebraska's congressional delegation and agency leaders to champion cooperative issues.
For 10 years, Greg served on the Nebraska Cooperative Council PAC, where he played a key role in vetting and educating legislative candidates to ensure they understood the value and importance of cooperatives. He was also a staunch supporter of director education, understanding that strong governance is critical to the success of any cooperative.
Greg Sabata's cooperative legacy is one of leadership, advocacy, and a steadfast commitment to the Nebraska agricultural cooperative system.
Following the Hall of Fame Inductions, the Annual Meeting will conclude with a keynote address by Afghanistan wounded war veteran Brian Fleming who focus on resilience in the face of adversity.
For more information, contact Adam Feser at (402) 475-6555.
