It was 34 years ago Monday that Chuck Otte walked into the Geary County Research and Extension office as the new Ag and Natural Resources Agent.

Back then he wasn’t expecting to stick around as long as he has.

“I came down here to do this job for three or four years and then go back to college to get a PhD, and I seriously, jokingly, tell people I never left because I’m having too much fun, and that’s honestly the truth,” said Otte.

In his 34 years he says he’s seen floods, droughts, the farm crisis of the 80’s, but the most “game changing” thing to occur has been advancements in technology.

“When I started there were no computers in any offices, micro computers were just coming around. And now we’re all walking around with them on our hips in the form of a smart phone.”

When you bring up the idea of retiring Otte replies,”I don’t know I’m not quite 60 yet, so I’m figuring five more years. I just take it a day at a time, it’s still fun, I’m still enjoying it, I still wake up in the morning looking forward to coming to work, and there’s still things I want to accomplish.”

The people and the diversity of the county are both reasons why Otte decided to stay in Geary County, it also helped he married a local girl, Jaye, 30 years ago this past September.