On The Move


Correction: The summer issue of On The Move announcements for Tim Fossa and Chuck Howlett are incorrect. Chuck’s information was listed under Tim’s name and visa versa! The listing below is the correct information. Apologies for the inconvenience.

 

Tim Fossa, Michigan State, has been promoted to Senior Vice President at U.S. Bank. He is a Commercial Middle Market Relationship Officer with U.S. Bank in Chicago, Illinois. Tim resides with his wife, Mia, and their three children in Bartlett, Illinois. Tim became a member of the Tau Chapter in 1980.

 

Chuck Howlett, Iowa State, has been named one of Eli Lily and Company’s Master Performers for Sales Management. The award is given to sales managers who have shown consistent excellence in sales accomplishments over their careers, while creating an environment for sharing knowledge, developing new ideas and risk taking. Additionally, Howlett was applauded for his leadership in developing people, setting direction for his team and modeling the integrity of Eli Lily and Company. Chuck became a member of the Eta Chapter in 1978.

 

Jim Bailey, Connecticut, received the 2005 Iris Award. The award is given on behalf of the Board of Directors for the Knoxville District Dietetic Association of Tennessee. Jim earned the award for his distinguished contributions to the field of nutrition and for being a respected and advanced level researcher and educator. One Iris Award is given a year. The Tennessee Dietetic Association represents the largest organization of food and nutrition experts in the state.

    Bailey graduated with a B.S. degree in animal science from the University of Connecticut in 1978 and a M.S. degree in animal science from the University of Illinois in 1979. In 1985 he earned his doctorate at Iowa State University followed by a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in endocrinology from the Mayo Clinic. Jim has been a professor in the Human Nutrition department at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville for the past 17 years.

    Jim owns a small fruit tree operation at his homestead in Tennessee, and a cow/calf operation in northeast Missouri. Jim became a member of the Upsilon Chapter at the University of Connecticut in 1976. He served as the adviser for Alpha Kappa Chapter from 1998 to 2001.

 

Michael Belco, Michigan State, was hired by the Ruth Mott Foundation as an integrated pest management specialist. Previously Michael was a veterinarian at Caputo Animal Hospital in Dearborn Heights Michigan. Michael is a 1985 graduate of Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2000 he went back to earn a degree in plant biology and a specialty in botanical gardens and conservatories.

    Michael will be the first Integrated Pest Management Specialist at the Applewood Orchard, located at the historic farm of the Charles Stewart Mott family in Flint, Michigan. The orchard he is tending to has been in existence since the Mott family acquired the property in 1916.

    Michael is a member of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arborata, and the American Horticultural Society. He became a member of the Tau Chapter at Michigan State in 1980.

 

Charles Bronson, Georgia, received an honorary doctorate degree in culinary nutrition from Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts. Charles is the Commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He received this honor for his service to the state of Florida.

    Bronson serves on the Florida cabinet, and as president of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He has also been in the ranching, sod and fertilizer business. He continues to run his family’s central Florida ranch in Osceola County. Charles became a member of the Alpha Eta Chapter at the University of Georgia in 1971. He is also an Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity Brother of the Century award recipient.

 

Jerry Christensen, Michigan State, is now Senior Vice President of Farmers State Bank in Breckenridge, Michigan. Jerry became a member of the Tau Chapter at Michigan State in 1969.

 

Todd Conrado, California Poly State-SLO, is a professor at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California. His primary focus will be on Agriculture Power Mechanics. For the past 11 years Todd has been an agriculture teacher, primarily in agriculture diesel mechanics and beef cattle.

    Todd has been married to Joanna for 15 years. They have two children; Morgan, 14, and Peter, 10. They enjoy showing cattle throughout California. They are also active in 4-H, the local cattleman’s association, and the California Agriculture Teachers Association. Todd became a member of the Chi Chapter at California Poly State University in 1988.

 

LaVern (Vern) Freeh, North Dakota State, has written a new book Child of the Prairie, Man of the World. The book is a memoir collection of his life growing up in a German-Russian family, enlisting in the Marines, teaching in a one-room country school, playing football at North Dakota State University. The book also goes through his agriculture education teaching career, serving as a football coach, and eventually becoming Director of International Programs for North Dakota State University. Vern traveled, consulted and worked in 65 countries, and became Vice President for Public and International Affairs at Land O’ Lakes.

    Vern and his wife, Lois, have six children and 11 grandchildren. Vern became a member of the Epsilon Chapter at North Dakota State in 1948.

 

Nelson Galle, Kansas State, was named the Vice Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. Nelson’s one-year term began July 1. He previously chaired the board’s Fiscal Affairs and Audit Committee.

    He worked with the Hesston Corporation for 22 years as vice president of administration, general manager of the Hesston Division, director of personnel, and director of Hesston’s European Operations in Brussels, Belgium. Nelson served on the K-State Alumni Association Board of Directors as President, and the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees. He was also named the College of Ag Alumni Fellow in 1998. Nelson earned the AGR Brother of the Century award.

    Nelson and his wife, Marilyn, live in Manhattan, Kansas. Nelson became a member of the Alpha Zeta Chapter at Kansas State University in 1954.

 

James Hagar, Arkansas State, has accepted a position with Monsanto as the Quality Management Systems Lead for the East Coast U.S., Southern U.S., Puerto Rico, Brazil & Argentina. Previously James worked with the Monsanto Soybean Breeding group in Marion, Arkansas. He began his new position August 26. James is now involved with the broad technology sector including information technology, trait intragration, of corn and soybeans, and other responsibilities.

    James became a member of the Beta Epsilon Chapter at Arkansas State in 1997. He has served as the Beta Epsilon’s Alumni Vice President and Chapter Adviser. He also earned the Brother of the Century award. James and his wife, Stacy, now reside in the St. Louis, Missouri area.

 

Sam Jones, Auburn, and his wife, Carleen, of Piccadilly Farm, LLC. Received the 2005 Perennial Plant Association Award of Merit. The award was given for their contributions of teaching and writing and their work with Lenten Roses. Carleen and Sam have operated Piccadilly Farm, a wholesale-retail nursery, near Athens, Georgia for the past 23 years. The focus of their wholesale business is the production and trade of Lenten Roses. Their retail business includes shade perennials, conifers and shrubs.

    Sam and Carleen live in Bishop, Georgia and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Sam became a member of the Xi Chapter at Auburn in 1952.

 

Brandon Libby, Maine, was elected student representative for the University of Maine System Board of Trustees by the General Student Senate. He is serving a two-year term attending monthly meetings, and writing reports for the university student government newsletter. Brandon became a member of the Psi Chapter at the University of Maine in 2003. He currently serves as the VNR Scholarship officer and previously served as the VNR Activities officer.

 

Andrew (Hank) Majeski, Delaware Valley, is now a Sales Representative with Lee Rain, Inc., one of the largest distributors on the east coast in irrigation sales, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware. Andrew became a member of the Beta Psi Chapter of Delaware Valley College in 2001.

 

Roy, Josh, and Seth Major, Middle Tennessee State & Western Kentucky, received a visit on their dairy farm from United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. Major Dairy, the family business, is located in Lebanon, Tennessee. Johanns visit to the Major Dairy was part of USDA Farm Bill Forum, seeking public input regarding the development of the 2007 Farm Bill that began July 7.

    The Majors milk around 165 head of predominately Holstein cattle. Roy, father of Josh and Seth, became a member of the Beta Theta Chapter at Middle Tennessee State in 1976, Josh became a member of the Alpha Chi Chapter at Western Kentucky University in 1998, and Seth became a member of the Beta Theta Chapter in 2000. Roy currently serves as Beta Theta’s Alumni Vice President, and Seth is currently the Alumni Relations officer. Roy and wife, Diane, also have another son, Jared.

 

Corey Martin, North Dakota State, received the Excellence In Graduate Medical Education award from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Corey is a physician at the Buffalo Clinic in Buffalo, Minnesota. The award recognizes the top 20 family practice residents in the United States.

    Corey has been active in the AAFP, serving on multiple committees and commissions. He graduated with honors receiving a B.S. in Microbiology from North Dakota State University and earned his medical degree from Yale Medical School. He served his residency at the University of North Dakota Center of Family Medicine-Bismark. Corey became a member of the Epsilon Chapter at North Dakota State in 1994. He was an Undergraduate Director for the National Board of the fraternity for the 1997-1998 term.

 

Seth Richardson, Maine, is beginning his first major solo tour in support of his new record this fall. He starts in Massachusetts a few weeks into September and will work his way through Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, and New Jersey eventually making his way back to his home on Cape Cod.

    Seth is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. He began playing the guitar at the age of 15. He discovered a talent in his voice while attending a drama class at summer camp during high school. He eventually became involved with several bands. Currently, he is focused on his solo career. Seth became a member of the Psi Chapter at the University of Maine in 1992.

 

Rod Sager, Missouri, was named to the Board of Directors for Equity Bank and the Advisory Council for Jan Hancock by IPS Advisors. IPS Advisors is an independent brokerage and consulting firm with offices located throughout Texas in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin and Corpus Christi, Texas. He is the managing principal of IPS Advisors.

    Rod was also named Volunteer Dad of the Year for the work he has done for the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas. He currently serves on their advisory board and is a past president of the board. Rod and his wife Ginger have six children aging from 14 to 31 years of age. Rod became a member of the Theta Chapter at the University of Missouri in 1968.

 

Lee Van Wychen, Wisconsin-Madison, was selected to serve as the Director or Science Policy for the National and Regional Weed Science Societies. Van Wychen most recently worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. as a Legislative Assistant for Congressman Nick Smith (MI-Retired).

    Lee became a member of Iota Chapter in 1992. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agronomy from the University of Wisconsin- Madison and completed his Ph.D. in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences from Montana State University in 2002.

    After his graduate work, Lee was selected as a Congressional Science Fellow through the Agronomy, Crop and Soil Science Society’s Congressional Science Fellowship program, and served in the offices of Representatives Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) and Nick Smith (R-MI) where he analyzed, advised, and implemented the offices’ legislative strategy on agriculture, environment, science, energy, trade and budget policies.



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