By ACN President Bill Spiegel
Since we met in Raleigh for a wonderful Ag Media Summit in July, I’ve had this nagging feeling that I’m forgetting to do something. This week it hit me: write a column for the ByLine as the new President of the Ag Communicators Network.
The first column is the easiest: introducing myself to you.
ACN President Bill Spiegel addresses the crowd during the
ACN Communication Awards Ceremony at the 2022 Ag Media Summit.
(Courtesy: Melanie Ruberti)
What is your background?
I grew up on a family farm in north central Kansas and attended Kansas State University, majoring in agricultural journalism. My first job out of college was as editor at my local weekly newspaper. After a stint at a daily newspaper, I moved to Kansas Farmer magazine. I’ve since worked at Successful Farming, High Plains Journal and now am a contributing editor at The Furrow and do freelance writing, editing and audio work. Meanwhile, I am the fourth-generation owner-operator of our family farm.
What’s your favorite thing about being an ag editor?
Meeting farmers and ranchers and being able to tell their stories is absolutely the best part of my job. In the 25 years I’ve been an ag editor, meeting producers on their farm and learning about their unique farm businesses and practices still excites me, but meeting their families and learning about their farm’s history and unique qualities is what really motivates me. And selfishly, I’ve applied to our own farm what I’ve learned from these folks. They have made me a better farmer, and I hope a better person.
Newly-minted ACN President Bill Spiegel gets to work right away by taking photos
of fellow ag communicators at the 2022 Ag Media Summit.
What are your goals as President of ACN?
Our organization is an incredible resource to its members. From professional development opportunities, to networking, to camaraderie, I find that the more I learn about ACN the more I gain from it. One goal is to engage with our younger members, to help cultivate the next generation of industry leaders. Another is to continue the assurance that ACN is nimble enough to meet the needs of all of us in this profession.
It is a privilege to lead this organization, and I look forward to serving our membership for the next year.