During its October 4, 2013, meeting, the Hastings College Board of Trustees swore in three new members – all of whom have extensive ties to the college.
Justin Osborne of Hastings, Neb., is the son of former trustee and 1963 Hastings College alumnus Jack Osborne while Roland Penner of Omaha, Neb., graduated from Hastings College in 1979. Not only did John Hewitt of Omaha, Neb., graduate from HC in 1982, so did his wife, Laurie. Two of their children have followed in their footsteps. John’s parents, James and Marjorie (Barrett) Hewitt, are also Hastings College alumni.
“Our newest trustees bring business acumen and a deep sense of appreciation for Hastings College,” said Hal Dittmer ’62, Chairman of the Hastings College Board of Trustees. “Their knowledge and insights will be invaluable as we continue to build upon our tradition of outstanding academics and community service at Hastings College.”
Returning to the board after a short absence is the Rev. Dr. William Nottage-Tacey, a 1972 HC graduate who serves as the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings.
Bios for the Trustees
John Hewitt ‘82
A 1982 graduate of Hastings College, John earned his J.D. at the University of Nebraska College of Law. He is partner at Cline Williams Wright Johnson and Oldfather, LLP in Omaha, where he represents public and private employers in labor and employment matters before federal and state courts and agencies. John is Board Chair of the Alegent Health System and represents health care providers on a variety of issues including nonprofit governance and executive compensation. He also represents print and broadcast media on First Amendment, open meetings, and public record issues.
John and his wife Laurie, a 1982 Hastings College alumna, are the parents of Mark and Grant, Hastings College students, and Samuel. His parents, James and Marjorie (Barrett) Hewitt, graduated from Hastings in 1954. His grandfather Harold served on Hastings College’s Board for several years.
The Rev. Dr. William Nottage-Tacey ‘72
A 1972 Hastings College graduate, the Rev. Dr. William Nottage-Tacey is pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Neb. He has also served Presbyterian churches in Norfolk, Clarkson, and Pender, Neb.; Portland, Ore.; and Berkeley, Calif. Dr. Nottage-Tacey holds an M.Div. and D.Min. from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He serves on the Committee on Ministry of Central Nebraska Presbytery and as a faculty member at the Synod of Lakes and Prairies Synod School. Dr. Nottage-Tacey was elected to the Hastings College Board of Trustees in 1999. He chairs the Church Relations Committee, and serves on the Instruction and Faculty Relations Committee and Marketing/Enrollment/Student Affairs Committee.
Justin Osborne
Justin is President of Industrial-Irrigation Services in Hastings, a family-owned and operated business providing customized engines for agricultural, industrial, and oil and gas applications. The company also operates a branch in Garden City, Kan. A Hastings native, Justin graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor’s degree in diversified agriculture. Prior to assuming the presidency of Industrial-Irrigation, Justin was Vice President for 11 years. He is a past president of the Hastings Economic Development Corporation and a member of several local boards and committees.
Justin and his wife Alison are the parents of daughters Kingzlee and Kruzann and son Stuhrling. Justin’s father Jack Osborne is an alumnus of Hastings College and served on the Board from 1992 to 2004.
Roland Penner ‘79
A 1979 Hastings College graduate, Roland is Vice President of Mid-Continent Properties, Inc. in Omaha, a real estate company specializing in farm sales and management across Nebraska and Iowa. The company reports to farm owners on the productivity of each farm, in addition to managing and maintaining insurance coverage for client farms.
Before joining Mid-Continent Properties, Inc. in 2007, Roland spent nearly 30 years operating his family business, Penner and Penner, Inc., in Beatrice, Neb., which operated dairy and corn/soybean farms. He continues to manage several Penner family-owned farms along with a portfolio of third party-owned farms for various clients. Roland serves on the Beatrice Community Hospital Foundation.
Founded in 1882, Hastings College is a private, four-year liberal arts institution located in Hastings, Nebraska, that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. With 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs, Hastings College has been named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Visit Hastings.edu for more.
