The Beta Alpha Chapter at Southern Illinois University welcomed three honorary members on April 22 at their chapter house. Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Charles A. Hartke, and Illinois Soybean Association Chairman Stephen J. Scates are the newest members.

    After the ceremony, the chapter members attended the second annual Ag Industry Days. College of Agricultural Sciences Dean Gary Minish put together a wonderful program that greatly represented agriculture at SIU and showed that the much-needed improvements were happening with great success. All of the speakers brought up AGR several times throughout all of their presentations. Ken Maschhoff spoke of the house in his as an alumnus of SIU and AGR. Glen Poshard also shared his comments with great promise for the future of SIU.

    The chapter was also visited at the house by Mr. Greg Webb and Lee DeSmith. Greg is the Vice President of Public Affairs for ADM in Decatur, Illinois. Greg currently serves on the Industry Leaders Board for the College of Agricultural Sciences at SIU; Stephen Scates is chairman. Lee is the Manager of the Pioneer Production facilities in St. Joseph, Illinois.