A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at First Plymouth Church in Lincoln for Duane Acklie, chairman of the board of Crete Carrier Corp., one of the nation’s largest privately owned trucking companies, and a huge supporter of the University of Nebraska.
Acklie died Saturday of complications from a number of health problems. He was 84.
“Duane was an extraordinarily successful industry leader in the trucking and transportation field,” said John Niemann, Ed.D., senior vice president for the University of Nebraska Foundation. “He was an equally long-term supporter of the University of Nebraska, especially UNMC and UNL.
“Duane and his wife, Phyllis, were very generous donors. They never sought a lot of attention for their philanthropy. They would give for the cause – not the naming.”
The Acklie Charitable Foundation was a founding benefactor of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center and also made a generous gift toward construction of the Lincoln Division of the UNMC College of Nursing. In addition, they made several smaller donations for different cancer projects taking place at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine.
Dr. Niemann said the Acklies had a close connection to the cancer center project. Like most families, cancer has impacted their family.
In 2014, the Acklies were honored with the UNMC Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award for their longtime support of UNMC and the University of Nebraska. The Distinguished Service Award is given to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding support for UNMC by way of personal service, private contributions or other meritorious advocacy for the campus mission.
Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center acknowledged Acklie for his financial support of the cancer center as well as his longstanding membership on the Community Advisory Board and his support of the Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska.
Natives of Madison County, Neb., the Acklies were among the honorary co-chairs of the general fundraising campaign for what would become the UNMC College of Nursing Northern Division in Norfolk.
Duane Acklie served on the board of directors for The Nebraska Medical Center and was keynote speaker at a dinner for the UNMC Delegates.
He joined Crete Carrier Corp. in 1966 as an attorney when it was incorporated in Crete, Neb. The couple purchased Crete Carrier in 1971, and he was president and CEO from 1971 to 1991. He has served as Crete Carrier’s chairman of the board since 1991.
Here’s the Omaha World-Herald obituary on Acklie.