Merrill H. Werts

The Honorable Merrill H. Werts is inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1981. He was on active duty in U.S. Army from June 1943 to March 1946 with service in European Theater of Operations; separated as first lieutenant Infantry. | Awards and Decorations: Bronze Star (HA), Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge | Other Affiliations - Masonic Bodies, Republican Party, Presbyterian Church, Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, Association of the United States Army. | Mr. Werts was educated in public schools of Smith Center, Kansas and graduated in 1940 from Kansas State University with B.S. in animal husbandry. From Cornell University he received a M.S. in 1948 in agricultural economics with a minor in international economics. | Over his career, Mr. Werts was Beef Sales Manager, John Morrell and Company, Topeka Kansas and Memphis Tennessee, October 1948 to may 1953; Director of Marketing, Kansas Department of Agriculture, May 1953 to August 1955; Secretary-Treasurer, Falley's Markets, Inc., Topeka, KS, August 1955 to August 1958; Vice President, Southwest State Bank, Topeka, KA, August 1958 to September 1965; President, First National Bank, Junction City, KS, September 1965 to December 1977; Independent Management Consultant, Junction City, KS, January 1978 to the time of his induction into the Hall of Fame. | His additional Commercial or Professional Activities are: Board Member of Fort Riley National Bank, Fort Riley, KS; Board Member of Mid America Machine Corp., Junction City, KS; Board Member of Smith Drug Stores, Inc., Junction City, KS; Board Member of J.C. Housing and Development, Inc., Junction City, KS; Member of Advisory Committee to Regional Administrator of National Banks, 1971 and 1972; Member of Kansas Bank Management Commission, 1967-71; Chairman of Kansas Bank Management Clinic Committee, 1969-71. | Civic and Political Activities - State Senate, 22nd Kansas District 1978; Member of Topeka, Kansas, Board of Education, 1957-61, President 1960-61; Co-Chairman, Buffalo Mound District, Boy Scouts, 1960-62; President of Rotary Club of Junction City, KS, 1968-69; Governor of Rotary District 571, 1973-74; President of Junction City-Geary Country United Fund, 1967-68; President of Junction City Country Club, 1968 and 1969; President of Junction City Chamber of Commerce, 1975-76; President of Junction City Industrial Development, Inc., 1966-72; Member of Junction City-Geary County Economic Development Commission, 1975; Board Member of Junction City YMCA, 1966-69 and 1974-80; Board Member of Junction City Junior Achievement, 1977-79; Board Member of Geary County Red Cross, 1979- ; Board Member of Kansas Association of Commerce and Industry, 1979- , VP 198. | Non-Business Directorships and Trusteeships- President of Kansas State University Alumni Association, 1957-58; Trustee of Kansas State University Foundation; Trustee of Kansas Synod (Presbyterian) Westminister Foundation, 1965-72.