NWB Board Members

Kent Lorens

Stratton, NE

Kent Lorens was appointed in March of 2014 to represent District #4 to complete a vacated term and appointed for his first full term in 2016. Lorens currently serves as the NWB Chairman.

Lorens grew up on the family farm, which he took over in 1986. There he, his wife Marilyn, and their four children grow wheat in addition to a cow-calf operation. Lorens has also been active in many local organizations, including the Hitchcock County School Board, the Dundy County-Stratton School Board, the Stratton Recreation Board, the Hitchcock County Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Wheat Advisory Board. He is also a member of St. Josephs Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

Tyson Narjes

Sidney, NE

Tyson was appointed to serve his first term in September of 2018 as the representative for District #2. Najres is currently the NWB Vice Chairman.

He is a fifth-generation to operate the family farm and ranch in Cheyenne County. Tyson, his wife Regina, and their two children, Isaac and Clara, raise hard red winter and hard white wheat, corn and Proso millet. They also run an Angus-Hereford cow-calf operation. Tyson serves on the Cheyenne County Farm Bureau and the Kimball-Banner-Cheyenne County Extension Boards.

Mark Knobel

Fairbury, NE

Knobel was appointed in August 2019 for his second term representing District #6.


Knobel and his family currently operate Knobel Seeds, a certified seed business near Fairbury. Knobel has hosted multiple trade teams for NWB at his seed operation in the last three years. He’s also served on multiple other agriculture-related organizations and boards including the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau and the Nebraska FFA Foundation.

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Doug Hashman

Alliance, NE

Hashman was appointed to serve his first term in August 2024. He represents District #1.

Doug grew up on the family farm, and started farming on his own in 1975.  Doug and Colleen have two children, Amy (Mike) Davies and Tim (Sarah) Hashman along with two grandchildren, Allie and Trever Davies.  Tim, farms with Doug and on his own.  Some of Tim’s land has been in the family for over 100 years.  Together they grow wheat, sunflowers, dry beans and corn.  Doug previously served on the Nebraska Dry Bean growers board, Farmer’s Coop Board of Directors and two terms as Box Butte County Commissioner.

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Jared Sayer

Cambridge, NE

Sayer was appointed for his first full term in 2021 to represent District #5 on the Nebraska Wheat Board.

Jared is a fourth-generation farmer raising wheat, soybeans, corn, grain sorghum, oats, alfalfa and sunflowers. He also manages a cow-calf herd, owns a trucking company, and works as a crop insurance adjuster. Jared and his wife, Julie, have four children: Taylor, Clayton, Dierks and Capri. When not farming, Jared also works extensively with Furnas County 4-H.

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Mary Kimberly Eisenzimmer

Big Springs, NE

Mary was appointed in November 2022 to represent District #3 on the Nebraska Wheat Board.

Mary was raised on the farm that she and her husband Keith, operate for the family raising wheat and corn. She graduated from UNL with degrees in Agribusiness and Ag Education and worked in the ag equipment industry for 27 years before joining Farm Bureau Financial services. Mary and Keith have two daughters: Makenna and Kallie. She is a board member on the Nebraska Agriculture Leadership Council, Keith County Farm Bureau, Friends of the Ogallala FFA and is a past board member of the Keith County 4-H Council, Rotary Club of Ogallala, and the Keith County Chamber of Commerce. Mary was a fellow for Nebraska LEAD XXX and is a member of the United Methodist Church.

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Mark Spurgin

Paxton, NE

Spurgin was appointed August 2023 to represent the At-Large vacated term for the Nebraska Wheat Board.

Spurgin was elected to the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association executive board in December of 2014.  He has served as the association President and is currently on the board.  Mark owns Spurgin Inc. which is involved in cattle feeding and raising crops including wheat, corn, soybeans, and feed crops.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska, the Colorado School of Banking in Boulder, and the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks. Spurgin has been a member of the West Central District and Keith County Farm Advisory Committee, the Keith County Planning and Zoning Board, served on the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission representing District 7, the Nebraska Beef Council, the Nebraska Cattlemen, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association.  Spurgin also traveled with the Governor and the US Meat Export Federation on trade missions to Japan, China, Mexico, and Cuba. He is also a member of the American Legion Post 303.