Scholarship Recipient Begins Career at Ag Service Associates

A former Phelps County high-demand jobs scholarship recipient has started a new career as a sales agent at Ag Service Associates - Crop Insurance in Holdrege.

Brennan Williams graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December with a degree in agricultural economics and a minor in agronomy and began his new position on January 4 at the company owned by his father, John.

Ag Service Associates specializes in crop insurance and serves clients in Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, Kansas and Texas.

Brennan graduated from Holdrege High School in 2017 and knew he wanted to return to Phelps County after college.

“I’ve always enjoyed it here, the people and the atmosphere,” he said. “I’ve never really been a big-city person. I have always liked that small-town feel.”

After his sophomore and junior years in college, he interned as a crop consultant for Loomis agronomist and seed dealer Blake Johnson.

“It really allowed me to get that hands-on knowledge that you don’t necessarily get from school,” Brennan said.

In college, Brennan served as president of his fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho. That leadership role allowed him to learn management and people skills that are also not taught in the classroom.

About half-way through his college education, Brennan decided he wanted to join the family business at Ag Service Associates.

Brennan said he would like to thank the local donors who made $2,000 in high-demand jobs scholarships possible for him.

“One of the things with my agronomy minor is there tended to be a lot of extra fees on our courses because a lot of our activities are hands-on,” he said. “Having that scholarship helped to cover those extra fees.”

Brennan recently purchased a house in Holdrege and is looking forward to giving back and helping the community to grow.

As a child, Brennan saw his parents, John and Michelle, give back to the community. They were part of an investment group that purchased and restored the Sun Theater.

“My dad was always a great influence for me,” Brennan said. “I really got the experience of giving back, and I’d like to figure out how I can give back and help the community grow.”

Phelps County High-Demand Jobs Scholarships will once again be offered in 2021. Applications are due by Feb. 15 and are available on the Phelps County Community Foundation website at https://www.phelpsfoundation.org/

The scholarships are intended to encourage graduating seniors and non-traditional students to pursue work in local high-demand jobs: nursing, agribusiness and ag technology, diesel mechanics, engineering technologists, mechatronics engineers, injection mold technicians, electro-mechanical technologists, machinists, tool and die makers, construction trades, welders and commercial truck drivers.

Scholarships are funded through LB840 sales tax funds, private investors through PCDC and matching funds from the Phelps County Community Foundation.