By JoAnn Biren
Murray County News Staffwriter
A little bit about the MARL program before you are introduced to Heath Radke and his role in the program. The year was 1998 and Southwest Minnesota State University involved itself in a research and development project. When the study drew to a close, it was decided to put their knowledge gained from the project and the MARL, Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program, was created. The first class started in November of 2000. Every two years another class starts. To date, over 270 people have taken part in the program. Radke was a part of the class of 2014-2016 or Class VIII. According to the MARL’s web site, Tim Alcorn served as the founding Executive Director from its inception until March 2011, when he accepted another assignment at Southwest Minnesota State University. Dan Hoffman continued to lead MARL from January 2012 until his retirement in January 2015. Olga Reuvekamp was named Executive Director in March 2015. She administers the program from the MARL office at SMSU, Marshall. Mike Liepold, Leadership Extension Specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension, has served as the Program Leader since the start. He provides expertise in curriculum development and delivery. Mike’s office is based at the U of MN Extension Regional Office in Mankato. Leadership and guidance of MARL is directed by its Board of Directors.
Now, it is time to take a look at Radke and his involvement in the program. Many in the area know this young man as he graduated from Murray County Central in 1997. He went on to attend and graduate from college in 2001. His degree in speech/communication with an emphasis on radio and television, from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall seemed to him, a fit for the MARL program.
He is married and he and his wife, Heather, live in Tracy and are the parents of four children, Trayton-14, Espn-11, Cohen-7 and McKaylie-1. “You can bet she is well taken care of by her brothers!” Radke said from his office at the radio station in Marshall where he has worked since 2003. Oh, the second son, Espn. You might read this as a typo. The only thing Radke says, with a laugh in his voice is, “Honest, it wasn’t my idea!” Maybe someone thinks he watches too much ESPN?
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