FFA alumnus Jimmy Dillon, 90, of Louisiana, served as national FFA president in 1952-53 and is one of the oldest living past national officers. We caught up with Dillon, who was born in 1932 during the Great Depression, to see what he’s up to now and how FFA impacted his life.
Q: How did you get involved in FFA?
A: When I was 14 and in the eighth grade, we moved to an 80-acre farm in Bonita, La. We did not have FFA or vocational agriculture in Wilmot, Ark., where I had gone to school for eight years, but they did have it at Bonita. I saw the opportunities FFA offered. I also participated in 4-H, showed livestock and entered contests for the county fair with beef cattle and swine.
Q: How did you work your way up to becoming a national FFA officer?
A: I always wanted to go to state FFA convention, and finally as a junior in high school I got to go. I became a delegate, and I ran for parliamentarian. I got elected, and that opened the opportunity to learn how the state organization worked. I got training in parliamentary procedure and public speaking, and that launched me to pursue FFA further. The next year, I ran for state treasurer and was elected. I got to go to national convention as state treasurer. I thought becoming a national officer would be a dream come true. After serving as a state officer, I offered myself as a candidate for a national officer, and by the grace of God, I was elected national president.
Q: Do you have any favorite memories of your time as national president?
A: Being national president, I had the opportunity to go to the White House and invite President Eisenhower to come speak at our 25th anniversary convention. That was a great honor and a wonderful memory. I also enjoyed visiting our FFA donors with the national officer team.
Q: How do you spend your time now?
A: I’m retired from the Association of Farm Equipment Dealers, where I spent most of my career. I live on nine acres in Baton Rouge, and I have a pecan orchard. I have all kinds of projects I work on outside. I read magazines and newsletters, keep up with the stock market and read on the internet. I try to be physically, mentally, socially and religiously balanced.
Q: Why is FFA important and relevant for today’s youth?
A: I have dear friends who are retired physicians and attorneys who were in FFA. They all say the training they got in FFA launched their careers. I was so pleased when girls were allowed to participate because I always said FFA training would benefit any student. It’s the finest training, regardless of whether you are academically or athletically inclined.
