ASTA Announces New Leadership

By Andrea Klosterman Harris|25 August 2008

The 2008/09 officers elected at ASTA’s 125th Annual Convention in June are:

• Chairman: Kelly Keithly – founder and president of Keithly-Williams Seeds of Holtville, California. • Vice Chairman: Jerry Monk – president of Texas-based Kelly Green Seeds and Warner Seeds. • Second Vice Chairman: John Nelsen – president and CEO of RiceTec, Inc., in Alvin, Texas.

The Board of Directors is also comprised of regional vice presidents, directors at large and past presidents and chairmen of the association. Regional vice presidents include: Craig Newman, AgReliant Genetics (Central); Wayne Vassar, Sharp Brothers Seed Co. (North Central); Risa DeMasi, Grassland Oregon (Northwest); Blake Curtis, Curtis Seed (Southern); John Schoenecker, Harris Moran (Western); Terry Dulaney, AgVenture Inc. (Southeastern); Fred Mohr, Seedway (Northwest); Bryan Gerard, JGL, Inc. (to Canada); Wayne Unger, Brett Young Seeds (from Canada); and Arcadio Lozano, Sakata Mexico (from Mexico). Directors at large include: Dean Oestriech, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.; Marc Cool, Seeds of Change; Don Wertman, Seedway; Tom Wiltrout, Dow AgroSciences; and Dan Burdett, Syngenta. Past presidents and chairmen include: Jim Tobin, Monsanto Company; Harry Collins, Delta Pine Land/Monsanto; Mike Peterson, Peterson Genetics; Sonny Beck, Beck’s Superior Hybrids; Nathan Boardman, Crosbyton Seed Company; Wayne Beck, Pioneer Hi-Bred International; Bill Whitacre, Simplot; Bill Latham, Latham Seed Company; J. Stephen Byrum, retired; Fred Clark, retired; Noble Koepp, retired; Dietrich Schmidt, retired; John Studebaker, Cibus, LLC; George Jones, retired; Jerry Peterson, retired; Don McGillivray, retired; John Zajec, Mountain View Seeds, Ltd.; Owen Newlin, Pioneer Hi-Bred International; Bill Schapaugh, retired; Bob Thedinger, retired; Harvey Mauth, retired; and Owen Gilbreath, retired.

In addition to the officers, the Board of Directors includes the chairmen of ASTA divisions and several committees: Delmer Gross, BASF (Corn & Sorghum Seed Division); Doug Bastian, Windfield Solutions, LLC (Farm Seed Division); Kathy McCarthy, The CISCO Companies (Lawn Seed Division); Glen Bowers, Syngenta (Soybean Division); Ron Amarel, Nunhems USA, Inc. (Vegetable & Flower Division); Bob Jondle, Jondle & Associates (Associate Division); and Tim O’Leary, Corn States Hybrid Service (Brokers & Agents Division); Keith Redenbaugh, Seminis (Biotechnology Committee); Don Bermant, Granite Seeds (Environmental & Conservation Committee); Mike Chapman, Pioneer Hi-Bred International (Intellectual Property Rights Committee); Bryan Gerard, JGL, Inc. (International Executive Committee); Risa DeMasi, Grassland Oregon, LLC (Legislative & Legal Concerns Committee).