One of Central Illinois’ giants in agriculture was among the 2024 Order of Lincoln recipients announced yesterday.
This year’s class includes Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Thome, a native of Peoria, multi-Grammy Award winning artist Alison Krauss of Champaign, and former 4th District Appellate Judge Rita Garman.
Among them was Pleasant Plains’ native Evelyn Brandt Thomas. Thomas is an active philanthropist, businesswoman, and mentor, described by Farm World as “a pioneer who helped create an agricultural empire.” In the early 1950s, Brandt Thomas and her brother, Glen, started a business to supplement the family’s income on the farm. ver the course of nearly 70 years, Brandt Thomas and the Brandt team grew Brandt Consolidated into a global ag leader. The company remains headquartered in Springfield and Brandt Thomas remains an active part of the company’s Board of Directors even though she just turned 100 this past August.
The Order of Lincoln recipients will be invested at a convocation on April 13th in Springfield.