Nebraska banker, railroad exec, ammo makers named to Business Hall of Fame

• Lance Fritz, former chief executive officer, president and chairman of Union Pacific.
• Sid Dinsdale, chairman of Pinnacle Bancorp.
• The Hornady family of Hornady Manufacturing.

The Nebraska Chamber and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business announced the inductees, who will be officially honored at the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame Banquet Feb. 1 in Lincoln.

The two organizations established the hall in 1992 to recognize Nebraska business leaders deserving public acclaim.

The latest inductees join more than 135 business leaders whose work to grow their businesses in Nebraska made a significant impact on the free enterprise system, Nebraska’s economy, overall job opportunities and quality of life in their communities.

Previous inductees included such notables as Warren Buffett, Peter Kiewit, Herman Cain, Joe Ricketts, V.J. Skutt and Bruce Lauritzen.

Candidates are nominated by individuals from the business community, business associations and academia.

“This year’s honorees include some of the most impactful business leaders in Nebraska,” said Chamber President Bryan Slone. “Their innovative aspirations, grit and business success is just the tip of the iceberg. They have also made remarkable contributions to their communities and the entire state.” ​

Fritz assumed the role of Union Pacific CEO in 2015. He also served as president and chairman. ​​

According to Union Pacific, he oversaw “a period of growth, innovation and value creation, and transformed the company’s operating plan to improve asset efficiency.” Last February, the company said that under his leadership, since 2017, the company had achieved a 52% increase in net income, a 27% increase in operating income and a 3.7% increase in return on invested capital.

He guided the company to achieve that growth despite a volatile operating environment marked by the pandemic, global supply chain disruption, labor negotiations and other challenges, the company said.

Fritz serves as a member of the board of directors of Parker-Hannifin Corporation, Business Roundtable, The Business Council, Nebraska Medicine, Omaha Zoological Society, STRATCOM Consultation Committee and the Association of American Railroads. He also serves on the Georgia Institute of Technology president’s advisory board.

Dinsdale is chairman of Pinnacle Bancorp, a family-owned business that owns 100% of four bank charters: Pinnacle Bank Nebraska, Bank of Colorado, Pinnacle Bank Texas and Pinnacle Bank Wyoming.

He grew up in Palmer, Nebraska, a town of 425 people, and grew up working in the family feedlot, hay fields and irrigation operations.

After graduating from Palmer High School, Dinsdale attended Hastings College and then transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he graduated with a degree in finance. He later attended the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado and completed the Presidents Program at Harvard University. He is a member of the Omaha Business Hall of Fame and UNL Business School Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Dawn, were named “Aksarben’s Most Honored Citizens” in 2022. Dinsdale has been a governor of Aksarben and on the board of Midlands Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Humane Society, STRATCOM Consultation Committee and the University of Nebraska Foundation, among others. He currently serves on the Methodist Health System board, Ameritas Life Insurance board and the boards of the banks and holding company.

Hornady Manufacturing was named Ammunition Manufacturer of the Year in 2019 for the ninth time by the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers. ​​

Steve Hornady and Jason Hornady serve as the president and vice president of the company, started by Steve’s father Joyce in 1949. Steve assumed leadership of the company from his father in 1981. Jason followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, joining the family business in 2006.

Steve Hornady has been a lifelong shooter, avid hunter and advocate for the shooting sports industry. A lifetime Nebraska resident, he began his career at Hornady Manufacturing in 1971. Ten years later, he took the reins of the company after his father’s passing.

Jason Hornady grew up in Grand Island and worked in the Hornady Manufacturing ballistics lab as a teenager. After graduating from the University of Wyoming in 1992, Jason worked for Sportco Marketing, Redfield Riflescopes and Dunkin-Lewis before returning to the family company in 2006 as director of sales.

Both Jason and his father Steve have served on several boards and are currently involved with the National Rifle Association, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, and National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Steve was recognized by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence as the 2005 Shooting Industry Man of the Year, and in 2013, he was recognized by the NRA as the Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award recipient.​