HOT SPRINGS — David Wayne Gairhan, Jr., a rice, soybean and corn farmer from Jonesboro, is the 2014 recipient of the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award from the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation. Gairhan accepted the award from Farm Bureau President Randy Veach, Charlene Reed, Stanley’s widow, and Farm Bureau Vice President Rich Hillman. The award was presented Dec. 3 during the organization’s 80^th annual conference at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

Gairhan, 40, is a third-generation farmer. The Reed award goes to an active member, 36 to 45 years old, for outstanding leadership within their county Farm Bureau and community.

“It’s a great honor. Stanley was a great leader to young people,” Gairhan said. “I was his first vice chairman of Young Farmers & Ranchers and served with him for two years which was a great honor. He took the time to bring young people in and show them Farm Bureau, as well as how important it is to do things for agriculture.” Gairhan has followed in Reed’s footsteps by recruiting many farmers into the county Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and the Craighead County Farm Bureau board. He says Reed taught him to give back to the community, too.

Gairhan is a former Craighead County Farm Bureau president. He’s been and continues to be active in other ag-related organizations. He also teaches Sunday school and is active in community philanthropic endeavors.

Gairhan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from Arkansas State University. He and his wife, Toni, have two children, son Tripp, 3, and 9-month-old-daughter, Millie.

Arkansas Farm Bureau created the award in 2011 in honor of Stanley Reed, who was president of Arkansas Farm Bureau from 2003-2008. He died in an automobile accident one-car crash in July 2011. Improving agriculture, and working through Farm Bureau to make that happen, was Reed’s life’s work. He also had a passion for mentoring young people, helping them to learn and grow in ways that helped them, and ultimately others.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.

 David Wayne Gairhan, Jr., a rice, soybean and corn farmer from Jonesboro, is the 2014 recipient of the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award from the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation. He was presented with the award on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at ArFB's annual convention in Hot Springs. Left to right: Randy Veach, ArFB President; David Wayne Gairhan; Charlene Reed, wife of the late Stanley Reed; and Rich Hillman, ArFB Vice President.