Mr. Ben Rainbolt, Jr.

Ben Rainbolt, Jr. was born and raised on an 800-acre dryland and irrigated farm near Burlington. He attended Burlington schools from kindergarten through graduation in 1976. During his high school years, he participated in many activities, but excelled in the FFA organization. Upon graduation, Rainbolt was elected Vice President of the Colorado FFA Association.

In 1977, he enrolled at NJC, where he took part in many activities as an agriculture education major.

Upon graduation from NJC in 1979, Rainbolt transferred to Colorado State University. Ben was a member of Alpha Tau Alpha, the honorary agriculture fraternity and graduated with distinction in 1981. Ben returned to CSU and earned his Master of Vocational Education in 1989. In 1998, ben returned to CSU once again and earned his Secondary Principal License.

His first job was the agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor at Arickaree High School. Rainbolt then moved to Valley High School, in Gilcrest. This began a career for the next 25 years as the agriculture education teacher, vocational director, school-to-career coordinator and principal.

After retiring from education in 2007, Rainbolt accepted a position with Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, a general farm organization that represents the interest of family farmer/ranchers in Colorado, New Mexico & Wyoming as the Director of the Cooperative Development Center. In 2010, was named the Executive Director and continues to serve in that position today.

In addition, Rainbolt serves as President on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Agriculture Development Authority, Chair of the Colorado Agricultural Value-Added Board Development Board, Weld Community Credit Union Board of Directors, as well as Youth Help, a local foundation for disadvantaged youth to succeed in school. He also serves as President of the school board for Weld County School District RE-1.