Distinguished Service Award

The Lincoln Center Kiwanis Club is proud to recognize Dr. Chuck Hibberd as the 2026 recipient of our Distinguished Service Award, celebrating a lifetime of civic leadership, professional excellence, and community impact.

Having served as Dean and Director of Nebraska Extension from 2013-2020, Chuck currently serves as the Chairman of the Nebraska Community Foundation Board of Directors, is a founding board member and treasurer of Justice in Action, and is the district lay leader of the Great Plains Conference, United Methodist Church. 

Chuck grew up in Lexington, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska, where he received his bachelor’s degree in animal science. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Oklahoma State University and, upon graduation, became a member of the faculty. In 1992, Chuck received the OSU Regents Distinguished Teacher Award. 

After 12 years as a faculty member, Chuck moved to Scottsbluff to lead the University of Nebraska’s Panhandle Research and Education Center. After 13 years, he accepted the position of Director of Purdue Extension. And 5 years later, he accepted the position of Dean and Director of Nebraska Extension. 

During his tenure, he coordinated more than 100 Extension professionals at all 83 county offices responding to the worst natural disaster in recent history during the floods and blizzard in March of 2019. The Nebraska 4-H program has grown to over 140,00 participants statewide. One in three youths between the ages of 8 and 18 places and is with one of the highest participation rates in the country.