#MR Roger W Dunning, USNR (1954-1956 )
Dunning	Nickname: Roger Branch: USNR Commission: None 1956 Pre-Flight: Navcad 28-54 Wings Year: 1956 Active Years: 1954-1956 Reserves:  Mil Retirement:  Last Location: KS	Assignments:	Highlights: Great website! Keep up the good work.
— Roger Dunning May 10, 2007

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MR Roger W Dunning USNR 1954-1956

After years of flying model airplanes and two years of college, I was motivated to become a naval pilot. Was inducted at NAS Olathe, Kansas and traveled by train to Pensacola. In short order I was among a fine group of future naval pilots in Navcad Pre-Flight class 28-54. During the Pre-Flight program I was torn between two loves — becoming a naval pilot and my true love and future wife, Lorrie. The tug-of-war was won by my true love and marriage followed shortly thereafter.

After graduating, from Pre-flight, I withdrew from the NAVCAD program and was transferred to the regular Navy for sea duty on the USS Arneb AKA-56. The USS Arneb sailed to interesting places: Bermuda, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and played a cameo role in naval maneuvers in the Caribbean for the movie, 'Away All Boats' with Jeff Chandler. Later, the USS Arneb delivered strategic equipment for DEW Early Warning radar sites above the Artic Circle. Before the USS Arneb departed for Operation DEEPFREEZE in Antarctica in 1956, I was transferred to USS Cadmus R-14 Repair ship. The USS Cadmus was the pride of the navy fleet, in Norfolk, with shiny metal decks polished to a mirror-like finish.

Received Honorable Discharge in June 1956 and returned to Ft. Hays State University and completed final two years with B.S. in Business Administration. Received M.S. Degree in Accounting and Management with Phi Kappa Phi honors at Kansas State University in 1959.

Embarked on two year business career as a Certified Public Accountant with national CPA firm in Denver, Deloitte Touche.

Joined Martin Marietta Aerospace, in Denver, in 1962 and during a ten year period progressed through various departments and assignments to Team Leader Subcontract Management, responsible for rocket engines and other various space equipment for Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA and the Air Force. Enjoyed the challenges of space age technology but switched to a new career path in 1973.

Accepted a management position with Lincoln Industries in Lincoln, NE to merge and improve a new book company acquisition. Nebraska Book Company was acquired with forty college bookstores and five wholesale operations scattered across the United States. Implemented a team-oriented Employee Development Program to improve all areas of bookstore performance. Nebraska Book Company now operates with 250 college bookstores across the nation.

Promoted to Executive Vice-President and General Manager in 1977 to improve operations of the company-owned corn milling operation in Atchison, Kansas. This facility had been unable to achieve profitability during ten years of operation. Multi-million dollar annual profits were achieved with emphasis on employee excellence, teamwork, goals, and product quality and customer satisfaction. This corn processing facility, with a daily grind of 50,000 bushels, became the industry leader for superior quality products in: breakfast cereals, snack foods, U.S. and Canadian breweries, oil well drilling starch and foundry starch for automotive castings. The outstanding success of this operation was recognized as an attractive acquisition and was purchased by ELDERS IXL of Australia in 1987.

In 1988, a search firm was hired to find a qualified candidate to transform a failing state-owned wheat milling operation in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The successful candidate would be responsive to a three-member board of North Dakota politicians: Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture. This was a formidable challenge; to correct major problems in management, product quality, work performance, production efficiency and customer satisfaction while working with politicians and union employees. Never willing to pass up a challenge, I accepted the position as President and General Manager in 1988. Success was achieved following a management program that proved successful for the corn milling operation in Atchison, Kansas. This facility mills 50,000 bushels of wheat daily to produce a variety of bread and pasta flours.

My sweetheart Lorrie and wife of fifty-two years accepted the many moves and the challenging work assignments with support and a positive attitude. However, when wind chill temperatures dropped to 95 degrees below zero in North Dakota, we both agreed it was time to move south. Gave one-year advance notice to Governor Ed Schaffer and other board members and retired in 1996. This move was easy as we just returned to our home in Kansas.

We have two sons, Bruce in Indianapolis and David in New York City. We have a grand-daughter at University of Maryland and a grandson graduating from Carmel, Indiana in June 2007. We are enjoying retirement in Kansas, near where pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart was born.

— Roger Dunning, May 17, 2007