Dennis Byars
 |
2017
Dennis Byars
Public Servant
Class of 1958
Dennis Byars, class of 1958, has lived a life of serving others. Even though he says he is formally retired he continues to serve on numerous boards that meet the needs of others. He is currently a member of the Gage County Board of Supervisors and chairs the Equalization Committee and Buildings and Grounds Committee.
Byars is also chairman of the Region V Governing Board (which provides services to persons with mental health needs); chairman of Region V Systems (which provides services to developmentally disabled persons); a board member of Nebraska Inter-Governmental Risk Management Association and is a member of the Board of Counselors for the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Professionally he was the Regional Development Director and then the Director of Community Resources for Mosaic. He then served as the Executive Director for the Beatrice Community Hospital Foundation. Prior to this, he worked in business as a real estate agent.
Another public service has included being the District #30 State Senator from December 1988 to 1995 and again from 1998 to 2006, past member of the Beatrice Board of Education, past chairman of the National Conference of State Legislatures Standing Committee on Health, and past chairman of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities Public Policy Team. His involvement with helping others extends outside of his work. He has been a voting member from St. John Lutheran Church, Nebraska Synod Assembly since 2000. Byars received the Good Neighbor Award (Person of the Year Award) from the Beatrice Chamber of Commerce. He has also received a number of awards for his work with public health.
When not working to improve the lives of others he spends time with his wife, Janet and two sons and their families. "I enjoy spending time with my family, watching Husker football and volleyball games and when time permits, spending time in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado.