Colorado FFA Foundation Names Four Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame Inductees for 2026
July 30, 2025
The Colorado FFA Foundation is pleased to announce four inductees representing excellence in public service, extension, dairy industry and education, into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. Jenifer Gurr (Northglenn), Marlin Eisenach (Fort Morgan), Jon Slutsky (Fort Collins), and Dr. Tony Frank (Denver) will all be formally honored and inducted into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame on February 26, 2026 at the annual Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet. The Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame is presented by the Farm Credit Associations of Colorado.
“These inductees have established lasting legacies in Colorado agriculture. They each exemplify the innovative, resilient, and hard-working spirit of Colorado’s agriculture community,” said Stephanie Foote, chair of the Colorado FFA Foundation. “We are honored to publicly thank them by inducting them into the Hall of Fame for all they have done and continue to do for agriculture.”
Jennifer Gurr worked for 22 years at the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), starting as an Administrative Assistant and retiring as Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Human Resources. She also worked for the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. She provided consistent leadership through multiple administrations, overseeing daily operations, facilities, and collaborating with the Colorado Agricultural Commission and the public. She played a key role in consolidating six metro-area CDA locations into a single campus in Broomfield and was vital in constructing a new, state-of-the-art laboratory. She also helped establish agricultural educational partnerships with organizations such as the National Western Stock Show, Ag in the Classroom, Colorado Ag Leadership, and FFA. In 2015, she served as interim Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture.
Marlin Eisenach has served as the Morgan County Extension Agent for the past 37 years. He dual majored in Animal Science and Agronomy at Colorado State University. After graduation, he farmed with his brother and became a CSU Extension Agent in 1987. Marlin served as the Livestock Superintendent at both the Colorado State Fair (1990-current) and the National Western Stock Show (1992-2020). He serves on the Colorado Pork Producers Council Board of Directors and as Chairman of the CSU Extension Livestock Task Force Committee (1996-2022). He has been recognized with the Colorado State University Livestock Leaders Award, the National Western Stock Show Legacy Award, and the CSU Extension Alton Scofield Distinguished Service Award. Marlin has coached and mentored hundreds of young agriculture producers, ensured organized and fair competitive events, and actively empowered the next generation through programs like 4-H livestock judging.
Jon Slutsky, a retired dairy farmer, has been nominated for the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Susan Moore, owned and operated La Luna Dairy in Wellington, Colorado, from the early 1980s until his retirement. Jon was actively involved in advocating for the dairy industry by serving on the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission, the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, and the Colorado Livestock Association Board of Directors. Jon and Susan opened their dairy to Colorado State University (CSU) for student training and research after the CSU dairy farm closed. He has mentored many students, some of whom are now prominent teachers and researchers in the dairy field. La Luna Dairy was an early adopter of technology, including a computer-based milk management system and synchronized breeding, which are now standard practices in the industry.
Dr. Tony Frank, Chancellor of the Colorado State University System, has been nominated for induction into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame. Dr. Frank's extensive career and contributions to agriculture include serving as a former President of CSU, Provost, and Vice President for Research. He also held various positions within the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He is actively championing initiatives such as the CSU Spur campus, which aims to improve agricultural literacy, leading the Rural Broadband Initiative, and investing in new Extension and Experiment Station facilities. Tony is responsible for elevating CSU's veterinary sciences to global prominence, supporting talented faculty and research professionals in areas like wheat and potato breeding, and co-initiating the North American Agricultural Advisory Committee. He has increased access to higher education, driven innovative teaching strategies, prioritized service to military and veteran students, and invested in experiential learning centers. Tony has significantly increased research expenditures at CSU, developed innovation hubs, and secured an $8.5 million Rural Initiative to support rural communities.
The honorees will join 111 other outstanding Colorado agriculturists who have been similarly honored since 1989. All Agriculture Hall of Fame members’ portraits are displayed in the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame (presented by Farm Credit Associations of Colorado) in the CoBank Center for Agricultural Education at Colorado State University.
Hosted by the Colorado FFA Foundation, the induction ceremony is held yearly to induct members into the Agriculture Hall of Fame who have significantly contributed to Colorado’s second largest industry. A unique, multimedia presentation will highlight the life of each new inductee during the ceremony.
More information about the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame, presented by the Farm Credit Associations of Colorado is available here: http://coloradoffafoundation.org/farm-credit-colorado-agriculture-hall-of-fame/.
Source: Colorado FFA Foundation
