Schilz transitions from outdoorsman to senator

Above: The beginning of Sen. Schilz’s legislative career coincided with his 40th birthday.

From herding cattle to finding consensus, Sen. Ken Schilz has seamlessly transitioned from work in “Cowboy Capital” Ogallala to the Nebraska State Capitol.

“I came from riding horses every day, vaccinating cattle, hauling manure to spread for fertilizer and buying and selling cattle, to coming down here and negotiating on bills and building relationships,” Schilz said.

“Sometimes the cattle are a little easier to get along with,” Schilz remarked with a laugh.

A number of Schilz’s interests involve the outdoors. An avid hiker, he enjoys backpacking in the Rocky Mountains. During one nine-mile hike, the senator ascended 3,000 feet, an accomplishment made even more impressive by the fact that the elevation for the base point of the hike was 2,000 feet higher than his hometown.

In his youth, his favorite outdoor activities revolved around Lake McConaughy.

“There aren’t many kids in Nebraska who can say they grew up as a beach bum,” Schilz said.

When Schilz is not in his outdoor element, he said he enjoys reading. Though he owns numerous public affairs titles, he said his favorite books are fictional works written by authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Dean Koontz and Stephen King.

“I’ll read just about anything, but I read to escape, not to learn,” Schilz said.

Since moving from private citizen to public servant, Schilz said he has adjusted to a new dynamic in relationships with his friends who regularly testify at committee hearings.

“These are guys whom I would consider some of my mentors, and now they are looking at me as an expert,” Schilz said. “It still seems a little bit surreal.”

Humility is a virtue Schilz seems to naturally possess. When asked how it feels to be addressed as a senator, he erupted with a contagious laughter and said he still chuckles when people use his formal title.

“I feel very fortunate to be able to serve the people of my district and have them place their trust in me. It is a very humbling experience,” Schilz said.

Schilz said he employs an agreeable attitude and pleasant demeanor, whether he is at home working with cattle or at the Capitol working on legislation.

“I’ve always found that it is easier to attract the flies with honey than with vinegar,” Schilz said. “And that is the philosophy that I live by.”