NAIDC Elects Board Members, Executive Committee

[EditorBob]

NEWS***

The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC) board of directors elected four new members on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. They are:

Owen Bewley, dairy technical specialist with Prince Agri Products and based in Susquehanna, Pa. He has been a volunteer for both the northeast regional and national Dairy Challenge events.
Marcia Endres, Associate Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. She has coached Dairy Challenge teams for the university since the contest’s inception in 2002.
Coleen Jones, research associate with Penn State University and diversified ag producer based in Craigsville, Va. She has served on NAIDC program and public relations committees since 2003 and assisted at both the northeast and southern regional contests.
David R. Winston, Dairy Extension Specialist at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va. He is currently chair of the southern region Dairy Challenge planning committee and was an assistant coach for Virginia Tech’s teams from 2002 to 2004.

They succeed retiring directors Larry Muller, Penn State University, also immediate past-Chair of NAIDC; Miriam Weber-Nielsen, Michigan State University; JoDee Sattler, Hartland, Wis.; and Todd Kranz, Dublin, Ohio.

Members of the NAIDC Executive Committee for 2009-10 are Chair Barry Putnam, Genex, Ithaca, N.Y.; Vice Chair Luciene Ribiero, APC Inc., Visalia, Calif.; Finance Chair Rob Sheffer, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Albany, N.Y.; Program Chair Kas Ingawa, North Carolina State University and DRMS, Raleigh, N.C.; and Media and Public Relations Chair Cherie Bayer, American Jersey Cattle Association, Reynoldsburg, Ohio.

Continuing NAIDC board members include Devin Albrecht, Prairie State/Select Sires, Hampshire, Ill.; Bruce Clark of Northstar Cooperative, Coldwater, Mich.; Jean Conklin, Yankee Farm Credit and dairy producer, Haverhill, N.H.; Gary M. Hay, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; Tami Tollenaar, Tollenaar Dairy, Elk Grove, Calif.; and Michael Van Amburgh, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

The North American Dairy Challenge was established in 2002 as a management contest to incorporate all phases of a specific dairy business. It strives to incorporate a higher-learning atmosphere with practical application to help prepare students for careers in the dairy industry. More than 1,500 students have enhanced their dairy management, communication and business skills through Dairy Challenge, in turn generating highly qualified graduates to lead and further improve the dairy industry.

Financial support for the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge and its regional contests comes from generous contributions from dairy industry companies, associations and foundations, and dairy business owners. NAIDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, and contributions to Dairy Challenge are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. For more information on becoming a sponsor, visit www.dairychallenge.org.

To learn about the many opportunities to become involved with the NAIDC program, contact any NAIDC board member or Executive Director Molly Kelley at 217-684-3007 or naidcmjk@aol.com.