Tim Flakoll Livestock Judging Team Scholarship Endowment

Raised on the family farm and ranch, Flakoll Enterprises LLLP, near Forbes, North Dakota, Tim Flakoll developed a lifelong passion for agriculture, leadership, and service. Located just two miles into South Dakota, the operation included a 1,000-head beef feedlot and approximately 350 cow-calf pairs annually, providing the foundation for values that would guide his distinguished career.

Tim chose North Dakota State University because of his deep interest in agriculture and the familiarity he felt on campus through his participation in 4-H livestock judging contests during Little I. Flakoll earned degrees from NDSU in 1981 and 1985 and later completed Executive Education programs at Harvard University, the University of Oxford, and MIT. His four decades of service to NDSU and Tri-College University reflect an unwavering commitment to education, student success, and regional collaboration.

A member of the NDSU Junior Livestock Judging Team in 1978 and the Senior Team in 1979, Tim distinguished himself as a competitor, highlighted by a third-place overall finish at the prestigious National Barrow Show. Because he entered judging competition at an early age, he was only 19 years old while competing on the Senior Livestock Judging Team. Following his eligibility, he remained committed to the program, serving for approximately 12 years as an assistant coach under legendary coach, Dr. Bert Moore.

Tim often credits his livestock judging experience as one of the most influential aspects of his development. The discipline of evaluating complex situations, making accurate decisions under pressure, and defending those decisions through well-reasoned oral presentations became foundational skills that shaped his success throughout life. The confidence, critical thinking, communication, and leadership abilities cultivated through judging became hallmarks of his professional and public service career.

Beyond agriculture, Tim became a transformational leader in business, education, and public service. As a founding member, vice president, and general manager of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, he helped build one of the region’s most successful professional sports organizations. His commitment to community leadership is reflected in more than 350 cumulative years of service represented through his participation on local, state, regional, and national boards and organizations.

During 18 years in the North Dakota Senate, Tim chaired the Education and Agriculture Committees for a combined 14 years and was elected President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Recognized for his effectiveness and bipartisan leadership, he achieved one of the highest legislative success rates of any state legislator in the nation. During his decade as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, North Dakota’s gross agricultural product value increased by 452 percent, reflecting a period of extraordinary growth and innovation within the state’s agricultural economy. He later continued his public service as a Cass County Commissioner.

His leadership extended well beyond North Dakota. Tim chaired the Council of State Governments Midwestern Legislative Conference, representing approximately 82 million people across eleven states and four Canadian provinces. He also chaired the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, serving a region encompassing 12 states and more than 4.2 million college students. He participated in White House meetings on agriculture and education policy and served as a goodwill and trade ambassador to numerous countries, helping strengthen international relationships and economic opportunities.

A gifted communicator, Tim also served as a popular guest host on North Dakota’s most-listened-to afternoon radio program, further demonstrating his ability to connect with audiences and communicate complex issues effectively. His contributions have been recognized through numerous honors, including the NDSU Doctor of Service Award, NDSU Preferred Professor Award, Phi Kappa Phi National Ray Sylvester Award for Distinguished Service, the Midwestern Higher Education Compact Phil Sirotkin Lifetime Achievement Award, the NDSU Outstanding Organization Advisor Award. Tim has been recognition as a member of the NDSU Foundation President’s Society for philanthropic leadership.

The NDSU Tim Flakoll Livestock Judging Team Scholarship Endowment celebrates a life dedicated to agriculture, education, leadership, and service. More importantly, it honors the profound impact that livestock judging had on Tim’s life and career. Through this endowment, future generations of NDSU students will have the opportunity to develop the same skills of critical thinking, sound judgment, communication, and leadership that propelled him from a North Dakota farm and ranch to a lifetime of extraordinary achievement and service. Service that took him from the farmhouse to the White House.