Jim Jenkins

Jim Jenkins has over 35 years of experience in agriculture and food related industries.

Jim is the operating partner for his family’s diversified farming, ranching and cattle feeding operation near Callaway, Nebraska.  In 2000 Jim was presented the Champion of Small Business Award from the University of Nebraska Business Development Center for his role in founding Wild West, Inc., which owned and operated the Whiskey Creek Steakhouse chain.  After selling his interest in Whiskey Creek, Jim co-founded the Skeeter Barnes restaurant located in Kearney, Nebraska.  In August of 2018, Jim was nominated by the Blueprint Nebraska Steering Committee to chair the Blueprint Entrepreneurship Council.  This Council includes leading entrepreneurs and innovators from across the state.

Jim currently serves on the Agriculture Builders of Nebraska board of directors and is a board member of the Callaway Hospital.  Jim is a past chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board; is a past board member of the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition; former executive director of the Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef program; served for nine years on the Custer County Planning Commission; and is a past president of the Nebraska Restaurant Association.  Jim is a past member of the President’s Advisory Council at the University of Nebraska.

Over the past two decades, Jim has given over 75 presentations on agricultural, food and entreprenerial topics.

Jim received a bachelor’s degree from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois and did graduate work at Northwestern Kellogg School of Business in Chicago.

Jim is married to Julianna Jenkins, an attorney, and they have three grown children.