CHENANGO COUNTY – In life, Dan Marshman exemplified leadership in the local agricultural community. For him, the saying, “Being a leader is not what they call you, it’s what they see you do,” was more than just a catch phrase. They were words to live by.

According to those who knew him best, the Oxford native was a role model to others, both within the realm of agriculture and beyond. Since his untimely death in 2001, his friends have endeavored to carry on his work by recognizing others who exhibit those same characteristics.

“It really is a legacy we want to continue,” said Judie Wright, who worked alongside Dave Emerson and Dick Dansingburg in the months following Marshman’s death to create the Dan Marshman Agricultural Leadership Award in his honor. The committee is now accepting nominations for the 2010 award, which will be given this June.

“This whole award is a labor of love,” she said. “We knew this was the right thing to do.”

For the group, defining the criteria for the award was the easy part. They knew the ideal recipient needed to be an embodiment of all of Marshman’s best qualities: a visionary with high ethical standards, able to inspire others to take on leadership roles, work with other local leaders to address the needs of the local agricultural and have a positive impact on the community.

The hard part, was designing the award itself.