Orion Samuelson

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Orion Samuelson

Orion Samuelson (/ˈɔːriən/ OR-ee-ən; born March 31, 1934) is a retired American broadcaster, known for his agriculture broadcasts and his ability to explain agribusiness and food production in an understandable way.[1] He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003.[2]

Career

Samuelson was born on a dairy farm in

Lutheran pastor before deciding on six months of radio school. His early work was based in Wisconsin, at WKLJ in Sparta, WHBY in Appleton, and WBAY-TV/AM in Green Bay
.

Samuelson was heard on

Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton,[6][5] and additionally, after he was 20 years out of the Oval Office, Harry S. Truman.[6]

During the 1960s, Samuelson hosted an early-morning show on WGN-TV, Top 'O' the Morning, first with organist Harold Turner, then with Max Armstrong. From 1975 to 2005, Samuelson was the host of U.S. Farm Report, a weekly television newsmagazine dedicated to agriculture. U.S. Farm Report continued without Samuelson after his departure. Samuelson hosted a similar show, This Week in Agribusiness, along with his longtime collaborator Max Armstrong, until his retirement, and continues to make occasional commentaries on that show with Armstrong as host. Both shows aired on 190 Midwest stations[7] via first-run syndication.[2]

Politically, Samuelson supported the production of ethanol fuel from corn, to help American farmers.[8]

On the lighter side, Samuelson and a studio group dubbed the "Uff da Band" once recorded covers of Yogi Yorgesson's novelty songs I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas and Yingle Bells. Samuelson held the same position in the broadcasting industry for 60 consecutive years through 2020,[9] second only to Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network announcer Vin Scully.

In 2001, Samuelson was named a laureate of

University of Illinois presented Samuelson with the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. He was honored at the 2010 Wisconsin Corn/Soy Expo in Wisconsin Dells. Samuelson received a custom-engraved Norwegian horse plaque to commemorate the occasion from presidents of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, the Wisconsin Soybean Association, the Wisconsin Agri-Services Association, and the Wisconsin Pork Association. On December 9, 2010, the southwest corner of E. Illinois St. & N. Cityfront Plaza Dr. was named 'Orion Samuelson Way' by the city of Chicago.[10][11] In 2014 he was awarded the VERITAS award by American Agri-Women (AAW) Organization.[12]

Samuelson serves as a Board Member Emeritus for the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation (IALF) having previously served as chairman of the board. He also serves on the Farm Foundation Bennett Round Table, and is a former member of the board of the Agriculture Future of America, the Board of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, the board of directors of the Foods Resource Bank, a former trustee of the Cornerstone Foundation of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, and a former member of the board of trustees of the National 4-H Council.[13]

On November 1, 2012, Samuelson published his autobiography "You Can’t Dream Big Enough" via Bantry Bay Media.[14]

In 2014 the

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The scholarship is presented to a college student seeking a career in agricultural communications.[15]

On September 23, 2020, Samuelson announced his retirement from WGN Radio. His final broadcast on WGN was the noon business report on December 31, 2020.[16][3]

Awards

Listen to

References

  1. ^ "Robservations: WGN Radio names Steve Alexander to succeed Orion Samuelson - Robert Feder".
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Samuelson Bio". Radio Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23.
  3. ^ a b c "Legendary agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson on 60 years". 19 December 2020.
  4. ^ "You Can't Dream Big Enough".
  5. ^ a b "President Trump makes surprise phone call during Decatur Farm Progress Show". 30 August 2019.
  6. ^ a b "I'm a Lutheran: Orion Samuelson". 15 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Radio Hall of Fame - Orion Samuelson, Farm Broadcaster". www.radiohof.org. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  8. ^ "News".
  9. ^ "WGN's Orion Samuelson to have heart surgery".
  10. ^ Orion Samuelson, Voice of Agriculture (The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry)
  11. ^ Wisconsin Farm Groups Honor Orion Samuelson (AgriView)
  12. ^ "News Releases".
  13. ^ "Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation Board of Directors".
  14. ISBN 9780985067311
    .
  15. ^ "CME Group and NAFB Foundation to Award First-Ever Orion Samuelson Scholarship for Agricultural Communications".
  16. ^ Feder, Robert. "Orion Samuelson to retire after 60 years at WGN Radio". www.robertfeder.com. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  17. ^ Hall of Fame (Norsk Høstfest)
  18. ^ "Laureates by Year - The Lincoln Academy of Illinois". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

External links

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