American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall was honored by National 4-H Council today as a founding luminary during the launch of the 4-H Luminaries. This exclusive group of accomplished and influential 4-H alumni will help raise awareness of the life-changing 4-H impact and generate support for bringing 4-H to more youth.

The 40 members recognized in the Class of 2017 4-H Luminaries will help fuel the growth of 4-H by committing to serve as 4-H spokespeople – sharing the personal impact of 4-H, offering their expertise and access to experiences for 4-H youth, alumni and professionals, and connecting their network for marketing, media and fundraising opportunities to help grow the mission of 4-H.

“Whether they are running Fortune 100 companies and performing to sold-out crowds or leading community programs and volunteering to empower local youth, 4-H alumni represent the epitome of true leadership,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. “These remarkable alumni are committed to paying it forward and ensuring the next generation has the opportunity to benefit from the 4-H experience.”

Members of the prestigious 4-H Luminaries are part of the 25 million 4-H alumni from across the nation that share a common bond in 4-H – an experience that helps teach invaluable life skills like responsibility, compassion and the value of hard work.

“Through 4-H and other avenues, Zippy Duvall has been a life-long supporter of investing in young people with a demonstrated interest in not only farming and ranching but also agri-business and food-related careers,” said AFBF Executive Vice President Julie Anna Potts. “We applaud his inclusion in 4-H’s most prominent alumni group.”

4-H Luminaries is announced in conjunction with the launch of 4-H’s Raise Your Hand campaign where 4-H alumni across the nation are asked to raise their hands to support the next generation of true leaders. Every alumni hand raised is a vote towards a $20,000 award for the 4-H state with the most hands raised. To learn more about Raise Your Hand and 4-H Luminaries visit www.4-h.org/RaiseYourHand.

Visit National 4-H online for the full list of founding luminaries