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Bakerisms...
It Just Won’t Be The Same Without Them
by Darrell Anderson
Bakerism – a little known truth or deviation thereof, delivered in such a manner as to cause great apprehension by the listener re-garding the legitimacy or factual substance of the statement. All of us in this office have become accustomed to these Bakerisms for the past seven years, and it’s hard to imagine life without them. In case you haven’t heard by now, Dan Baker, the Advertising Coordinator for this publication, has chosen to leave his position with NSR to prepare for retirement. Even though we’re not sure what that exactly means, the harsh reality is that he no longer occupies his office at the opposite end of the building. Somehow we hoped that his announcement that he would be leaving was yet another “Bakerism.” Unfortunately, it appears this time is for real.
It was seven and a half years ago that Dan joined the staff at NSR and the timing couldn’t have been better. It had been a little more than a year since the merger of the three breeds at that time, and Eunice Perry had left her position as managing editor of the Seedstock Edge to pursue another career. Dan had traveled the country auctioneering hog sales for 20 years, but as the number of production sales started to diminish, he could see that wasn’t going to keep him fully employed. I doubt there was anyone in the country at that time that had a broader knowledge of our breeders and the importance of targeted advertising through a breed publication. He had been employed as a fieldman for the Spotted Association early in his career, and had served as Assistant Secretary for the American Yorkshire Club, and later served as Managing Editor for the Yorkshire Journal. He was the perfect man for the job and I was thrilled to be able to hire him.
I have spent many sleepless nights recently trying to figure out how we were going to replace Dan. I finally came to a startling realization – we aren’t! There aren’t any Dan Bakers out there with the background, experience, sense of humor, and people skills that Dan possesses. When I announced his hiring in 1995, I wrote this statement in the magazine, “Baker brings an enormous wealth of industry experience with him to his new position.” The key word there is “wealth,” as his value has been demonstrated many times at NSR. Consider these facts: since Dan was assigned the duties of Advertising Coordinator, advertising in the Seedstock Edge has increased each year. Another new record was established in 2002, as 765 pages of advertising were sold at a value of $425,000. That represents thousands of phone conversations and letters to be sure the information is as accurate as possible, and to be sure everyone is aware of the opportunities that are available through this publication.
As you can see by reading the comments of those interviewed for this issue, Dan has left an incredible impact on many people in this industry. Fieldman, breed association employees, and summer interns have all learned keen insights into the history and traditions of our industry as a result of Dan’s efforts. It is because of his contacts and relationships he has nurtured, that he has served as our historian here in the office, and I can assure you his vast knowledge and memory of key dates and people will be badly missed.
On a personal note, Dan has been much more than a valued employee at NSR, he has been a true friend. Believe it or not, there are times when sitting at this desk can get pretty lonely. It has been on those occasions that I have asked Dan to have lunch with me, and often he has just had to listen to me spill everything that has been bothering me. On other occasions, he has offered sage advice based on his years of experience in this business. The writer Aldous Huxley once said, “Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.” Dan Baker exemplifies how experience can be a great teacher – he has taught so many young people in this business and I know he will continue to impact our industry through his auctioneering and the professionalism he exhibits with that skill. Thanks for everything you’ve done Dan! It won’t be the same without you.
