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Wyoming Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award presented to Crook County’s Frank Hawken

Frank Hawken, of Crook County, was awarded the 2016 Wyoming Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award at the 97th annual meeting of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB). Presented Nov. 11, the award is given to those who have gone above and beyond in their service to agriculture.

“Frank is the epitome of a true servant leader who has dedicated his life to serving Farm Bureau in any manner possible,” the Crook County Farm Bureau Federation wrote in their nomination letter. “He leads by example and hard work.”

Hawken has been involved with Farm Bureau for fifty plus years. He is a successful rancher, community leader and work horse. His Farm Bureau leadership includes serving as Crook County Farm Bureau President, WyFB Natural and Environmental Resources Chair, district vice president, county vice president, and president of the Sundance Local Farm Bureau. Hawken also worked on staff for WyFB as director of field services for a couple of years.



“Frank is always quick to volunteer and does so graciously,” said outgoing WyFB President Perry Livingston. “His unselfish attitude makes any organization he’s involved in flourish.”

Hawken’s first Farm Bureau leadership was with the Sundance Local Farm Bureau where he was elected president in his mid-twenties. Frank went on to receive a nursing degree in 1990. He worked in the nursing field until 2000; during much of that time he also ran the home ranch and provided for his aging parents. He and his wife, Della, continue to run the ranch just a few miles south of Sundance and Frank employs his son full-time.



Along with his distinguished service to Farm Bureau, Hawken is also involved with numerous local service organizations. Hawken has served in many capacities including: the Sundance JCs as both vice president and president; volunteers for the Sundance Chamber of Commerce; has hosted the Crook County Candidate Forum; served as director of the Miss Crook County Pageant; treasurer of the Crook County Weed and Pest; and held leadership positions in several Masonic organizations.

“When it is time for someone to volunteer to attend a meeting, Frank doesn’t flinch, just volunteers and cheerfully attends, reimbursed or not (most often not),” wrote the Crook County Farm Bureau Federation.

Hawken was honored and humbled to receive this award. “It is a great honor for me to receive this award from this great agriculture organization,” he stated. “We all know how important Farm Bureau is and we love Farm Bureau and the work we do for agriculture.”

“Farm Bureau to me is the ultimate agriculture organization as far as covering all of production agriculture,” Hawken continued. “We live in a diversified state. Farm Bureau starts with the grassroots and everybody comes together and we accomplish a lot for agriculture through the grassroots policy development process.”

“The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is proud to honor Frank Hawken with the 2016 Distinguished Service Award,” Livingston concluded. “We thank Frank for his distinguished leadership and service to agriculture and Wyoming.”

–Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation