Photo by Ruth Klossner Doug Schottle was taken by surprise when Michele Schroeder presented him with a cluster of balloons and announced him as the Hub Club’s 2023 Service to Ag recipient. Watching were previous recipients Linda and Pete Neigebauer, left, and Randy Schroeder, right. Also Michele’s children Aidan and April.

Doug Schottle was attending one of his last meetings as a member of the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club board Tuesday, Dec. 6 when the meeting was interrupted by a number of people carrying balloons. When Doug recognized the group as past recipients of the club’s Service to Agriculture Award, he looked around the room to see who the newest award winner might be.

Schottle was taken by surprise when Michele Schroeder stepped forward and handed him the balloon cluster, announcing him as the 2023 recipient.

He will be honored at the club’s Jan. 23 banquet at the New Ulm Community Center.

The Service to Agriculture Award recognizes a person or persons who go above and beyond to serve the club and agriculture in general.

Schottle has been a member of the Hub Club since 2009 when he started working for Jim Thomas at Upper Midwest Management. Not only did he become a member — but, as the firm’s accountant — Thomas talked him into being the club’s treasurer. Doug held that position for five years, then continued on the club’s board or directors through 2022. Now retired and with other things drawing his attention, he has opted to leave the board in January, when his current term expires.

Monthly Hub Club board meetings were held at Upper Midwest Management until recently, so it was convenient for Schottle to set up the room and stay for the 5:15 p.m. meetings.

An active worker for the club, Schottle is comfortable in that role.

“I’m a good worker, I don’t want to be in charge,” Schottle said. “I don’t want a job like Don Sanderson has, heading the Farm Show.”

Doug especially enjoyed working for the club at the Bavarian Blast food stand, the club’s annual Farm Show, the Cash Wise Brat Stand, and at the Farmfest food stand, which the club operated for decades. When members made the decision to discontinue their involvement at Farmfest, Schottle was given the task of selling the food stand building, which he did.

Schottle grew up at Sleepy Eye. Though the family moved off the farm when Doug was six, he picked up some farm experience “walking beans and baling hay” as his grandfather, aunts and uncles farmed.

After graduating from Sleepy Eye High School, Doug attended the University of Minnesota for a year, but “didn’t like school,” so got a job at Del Monte. After meeting his future wife, Terry, Doug earned a two-year accounting degree at Mankato Vo-Tech. After marriage, they moved to Minneapolis, but came back to the area when they decided they didn’t want to raise their family in the metro.

“It’s easier to raise kids in a smaller town,” Doug commented. “We came to New Ulm in 1984 and I worked for Biebl-Ranweiler for 13 years, for Wakefield Pork for 10 years, then we moved to California to work for Terry’s brother. When the economy went to heck in 2008, we came back and I got the job with Jim as an accountant right away.”

Doug and Terry have three children and three grandchildren. Son Mark lives in Hopkins. Son Alex is in New Ulm, as is daughter Amanda.

Doug retired in April 2022 and Terry in June. Together they do full time daycare for Amanda’s two-year-old.

In his free time, Doug likes to golf and fish. He takes his older grandkids to Sleepy Eye Lake to fish and also fishes with his brother when he comes here from Canada.

Doug’s golfing interest recently led to his being elected treasurer of the Sleepy Eye Golf Course.

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The Hub Club’s annual meeting and banquet January 23 will begin with a social hour at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. A short business meeting and a program will follow. The event is open to all. Tickets will be available in early January.

Since its founding in 1974, the New Ulm Farm-City Hub Club has continued to follow its original purpose, that of promoting agriculture and agri-business in the New Ulm area through various activities, events, and promotions. Membership is open to all; annual membership (single or couple) is $25.00. For more information on membership, check the club’s Facebook page.