By Reece Rutland
INA, IL – Larry Manning, owner and operator of a 3,000-acre family farm in Belle Rive, officially took his seat as part of the RLC Board of Directors in May of 2013. He owns the farm alongside his brother and son, Paul and Steven Manning.
He has been on the Tri-County Electric Cooperative Board for 15 years and served more than 16 years on the Bluford Grade School Board. He said one reason he chose to run for the RLC Board is that his service in Bluford was coming to an end and it was time for a change.
Larry Manning
“I think being on the Rend Lake College Board is something new and exciting for me so I thought I’d try it,” said Manning. “I want to thank all of those who supported me in the election.”
Manning is dedicated to local youth and their education beyond high school.
“I didn’t go to college,” he said. “I didn’t think I had the time. I don’t want any more young people making the mistake I did. I think the more education the better.”
Manning’s ties to RLC span generations. His wife Debra, son Steven and daughter Mary are all RLC alumni.
Debra graduated in 1980 with an Associate in Applied Science from the nursing program.
Steven graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA from the agriculture production and management program in 2001. Steven served as RLC’s Student Trustee on the Board, and he was the recipient of multiple scholarships, including the Doug Leeck Memorial, Citizen’s Scholarship of America, Bluford FFA, and Jefferson County Farm Bureau Foundation. Steven transferred to Murray State University where he earned a master’s degree.
Mary – now Mary Minor – was also an outstanding student at RLC. She graduated with dual degrees in Science and Arts in 2004, transferred to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and now teaches at Waltonville High School.
Manning replaced retiring Board Member, and fellow Influencer, Marvin Scott – a mainstay of 35 years of service to the RLC District.
“He is a very good choice,” Scott said of his successor. “I think he will look out for the students. He’ll be a good board member. He will do his job. I think he’s a good citizen and he will have the right interests as a board member at Rend Lake College.”
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a piece recognizing the RLC board as one unit. Each board member will be featured over the next few days on the website. -sd
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