Nominations for the Grand Island Senior High School Hall of Honor are accepted throughout each year. Nominations are reviewed each year and inductees are named. We are excited to announce the Hall of Honor Banquet & Celebration is projected to be held again in 2024.
The Hall of Honor, inaugurated in 1983, recognizes Grand Island Senior High School alumni who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the betterment of society. Nominees must have graduated more than 20 years ago from the high school. Each year, at least one person is inducted into the Hall of Honor.
Nomination Form
Online nominations are encouraged using the online form below. Email foundation@gips.org with questions.
Paper nominations also accepted using the PDF below. Paper nomination forms must be returned to the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, Attn: Kari Hooker-Leep, 123 S. Webb Rd., PO Box 4904, Grand Island, NE 68802.
James L. "Lanny" Martin
Class of 1964
Hall of Honor 1992
James Landis “Lanny” Martin has distinguished himself in business and community service. After a 14 year law career, he became President and CEO of NL Industries, a Fortune 250 company with 10,000 employees operating in over 50 countries. During the next 18 years, he was CEO of four New York Stock Exchange companies in the chemicals, oil field services, and titanium metals industries.
In 2006, he founded Platte River Ventures, a private equity firm investing in small and mid size private companies. PRV Fund I is among the top performing private equity funds in the U.S. His company’s name pays homage to his upbringing in the Grand Island area.
Martin also serves as Chairman of Crown Castle International (NYSE: cell towers). He is lead director of the Halliburton Company (NYSE: oil field services), Intrepid Potash, Inc. (NYSE: fertilizers), and AIMCO (NYSE: apartments).
Martin is Co-Chair of the Denver Art Museum; Chairman Emeritus, past Chairman and President of Colorado’s Central City Opera House Association; Chairman of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation (a Colorado community fund); and past Chairman and President of the Houston Grand Opera. He is also a trustee, Executive Committee Member, and Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee of his alma mater, Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
Among other awards, Martin received the University of Denver’s Korbel School of International Studies “Humanitarian Award” and the Fine Arts Foundation Denver’s “Citizen of the Arts” award. He has also been inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.
Martin and his wife Sharon have three children and two grandchildren.
