PRESIDENT
Scott McClure, Gateway Chapter
Brighton Agency

Scott McClure is Senior Vice President, Influencer Engagement, at Brighton Agency. He is the lead strategist for all Brighton agribusiness accounts, providing strategic counsel and support for all clients; management of group budgets, performance and personnel; and new business. His responsibilities also include being group leader for Brighton Influencer Engagement (PR) accounts, providing support for agricultural and non-agricultural client teams, strategic planning, content development and maintaining media and industry relationships.

Scott has been active with NAMA for many years at both local and national levels. He has served as a Best of NAMA judge for five years, he was the Agri-Marketing Conference Vice Chair in 2012 and chaired the committee in 2013. Scott joined the Executive Committee in 2014.

PRESIDENT/ELECT
Sara Steever, Northern Prairie Chapter
Paulsen

Sara Steever was named president of Paulsen in May of 2014. Her role is to set the vision for Paulsen, ensuring that strategies in marketing, PR and media are aligned with digital and analytics, and to lead a team of 35 agri-marketing professionals.

Sara’s NAMA experience includes national conference chair for the 2013 Fall Conference as well as Best of NAMA conference committee member since 2012. She is a member of the Northern Prairie NAMA chapter and liaison to the new SDSU student chapter in Brookings, SD. National Agri-Marketing Association presented Sara with the Horizon Award for Paulsen’s development of the Best of NAMA entry website. She joined the NAMA executive committee in September 2015.

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Deron Johnson, MoKan Chapter
FLM Harvest

Deron Johnson serves as Senior Vice President and member of the executive leadership team at FLM Harvest. He has more than 30 years of experience in editorial, agency and corporate communications leadership roles, the vast majority of that time spent in agriculture.

Deron has been a two-time Agri-Marketing Conference breakout session speaker, has served on multiple NAMA task forces, has held key roles on NAMA’s Careers and Professional Recognition committees and was the 2009 recipient of the Professional Development Award of Excellence in Public Relations.

Each year, NAMA appoints two new Vice Presidents to join the Executive Committee. These new officers are Jenna Oesch, Bayer and Melanie Rice, Brownfield.

VICE PRESIDENT
Jenna Oesch, Gateway Chapter
Bayer

Jenna Oesch is the Global Marketing and Customer Experience Lead for Bayer Crop Science Vegetable Seeds. She is responsible for strategy, people and team development and oversight of a 70+ member organization that helps increase top line business value through balancing customer strategy with product and distribution strategy. Jenna is a catalyst leader that drives a customer centric mindset across the organization and empowers employees to actively seek to understand customers’ needs and uses feedback to tailor marketing strategy and campaigns that maximize customer relationship marketing, sales effectiveness and revenue optimization. She is recognized for leading change that aligns strategically to growth drivers and influencing through both formal and informal networks.

Jenna has been a member of NAMA for almost 15 years and has served as national conference chair for the Agri-Marketing Conference and Fall Conference. The National Agri-Marketing Association has presented Jenna with the Dilworth Innovation Award, the Horizon Award and the Outstanding Chair Award.

VICE PRESIDENT
Melanie Rice, Iowa Chapter
Learfield IMG College

Melanie Rice is a National Accounts Manager with Learfield IMG College focusing on sales with the Brownfield and state news divisions. She has worked in agricultural communications her entire career with agency, corporate and media sales experience.

Melanie served as the 2007 NAMA Boot Camp Chair, 2018 Fall Conference Chair and has held many positions at the chapter level including president of the MoKan Chapter. She is a long-time student NAMA judge and was a 2008 NAMA Horizon Award recipient.

The following are continuing on as Vice Presidents of the Executive Committee for the 2019 – 2020 year: Sharon Larson, CHS, Inc.; John Rozum, Association of Equipment Manufacturers; Laura Svec, Corteva, and Andrea Slattery, Vita Plus.

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Introducing the 2018-2019 Executive Committee Members

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has introduced the 2018-2019 Executive Committee members. Please welcome the officers below:

PRESIDENT
Sheri Seger, Chicago Chapter
DTN/The Progressive Farmer

Sheri Seger is Director of Major Accounts and Digital Strategy at DTN/The Progressive Farmer, responsible for aligning the company’s media platforms in print, digital and events to the communications needs of agri-marketing companies and their advertising agencies. Her responsibilities are focused nationally and across both row crop and livestock segments.

A long time NAMA member, Sheri has been active with the association at both a local and national level. She has served as Chicago Chapter President, Region IV Director, National Best of NAMA Chair and the 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference Chair. She joined the Executive Committee in 2013.

PRESIDENT-ELECT
Scott McClure, Gateway Chapter
Brighton Agency

Scott McClure is Senior Vice President, Influencer Engagement, at Brighton Agency. He is the lead strategist for all Brighton agribusiness accounts, providing strategic counsel and support for all clients; management of group budgets, performance and personnel; and new business. His responsibilities also include being group leader for Brighton Influencer Engagement (PR) accounts, providing support for agricultural and non-agricultural client teams, strategic planning, content development and maintaining media and industry relationships.

Scott has been active with NAMA for many years at both local and national levels. He has served as a Best of NAMA judge for five years, he was the Agri-Marketing Conference Vice Chair in 2012 and chaired the committee in 2013. Scott joined the Executive Committee in 2014.

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Sara Steever, Northern Prairie Chapter
Paulsen

Sara Steever was named president of Paulsen in May of 2014. Her role is to set the vision for Paulsen, ensuring that strategies in marketing, PR and media are aligned with digital and analytics, and to lead a team of 35 agri-marketing professionals.

Sara’s NAMA experience includes national conference chair for the 2013 Fall Conference as well as Best of NAMA conference committee member since 2012. She is a member of the Northern Prairie NAMA chapter and liaison to the new SDSU student chapter in Brookings, SD. National Agri-Marketing Association presented Sara with the Horizon Award for Paulsen’s development of the Best of NAMA entry website. She joined the NAMA executive committee in September 2015.

Each year, NAMA appoints two new Vice Presidents to join the Executive Committee. These new officers for 2018-2019 are Laura Svec, Corteva, and Andrea Slattery, Vita Plus.

VICE PRESIDENT
Laura Svec, Midsouth Chapter
Corteva

Laura Svec is currently the Communications Manager for Corteva Agriscience™, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, in the company’s Pasture and Land Management business. She has held many communications management positions in DuPont Crop Protection over the last 8 years including the US Communications Lead, Southern Marketing Communications Manager and Specialties Marketing and Marketing Communications Manager. She has worked in the communications industry for more than 20 years, starting her career in television news, working her way up to serving as an Executive Producer before deciding to leave that industry.

She has served NAMA at the Chapter Level in the Midsouth Chapter and has served as national chair of the Agri-Marketing Conference Committee in 2016. 

VICE PRESIDENT
Andrea Slattery, Badger Chapter
Vita Plus

Andrea Slattery is a marketing and communications specialist with Vita Plus, an employee-owned company providing feed, nutrition, and management expertise to livestock producers throughout the Midwest. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009 with a degree in agricultural journalism. She has served in several NAMA national leadership roles in addition to the Badger NAMA board of directors, Babcock House at UW-Madison, Dane County Dairy Promotion Committee and Cows on the Concourse.

Andrea has served NAMA at the local level in many different capacities. She has also served at the national level as chair of Membership and Chapter Services.

The following are continuing on as Vice Presidents of the Executive Committee for the 2018-2019 year: Sue Lee, Fastline Media Group; Deron Johnson, FLM Harvest; Sharon Larson, CHS, Inc.; and John Rozum, Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

Introducing the 2016-2017 Executive Committee Members

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has introduced the 2016-2017 Executive Committee members. Please welcome the officers below:

PRESIDENT
Matt Coniglio, Chesapeake Chapter
Penton Agriculture

Matt Coniglio is National Account Manager for Penton Agriculture. In this role he works with companies and agencies in the eastern half of the U.S. Together, they develop marketing strategies for campaigns utilizing the company’s suite of media options: print, digital, broadcast, events.

Matt has NAMA experience on the local and national levels. He served on the Boot Camp and Agri-Marketing Conference Committees as chair and vice chair. He was president of the Chesapeake Chapter from 2007 – 2011 and has been on the Executive Committee since 2011.

PRESIDENT-ELECT
Amy Bradford, Heartland Chapter
GROWMARK, Inc.

Amy Bradford is corporate relations manager for GROWMARK, responsible for the development and implementation of the cooperative’s corporate communications strategy including employee, member, and external communications; proactive corporate media relations and public relations; cooperative education and awareness; and the cooperative’s annual meeting. She also oversees GROWMARK’s philanthropic efforts, and manages The GROWMARK Foundation.

She has been a member of NAMA since 1998 and has served in numerous local capacities, including chapter president. In addition, she has served on the national Professional Recognition Committee and has been on the Executive Committee since 2012.

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Sheri Seger, Chicago Chapter
DTN/The Progressive Farmer

Sheri Seger is Director of Major Accounts and Digital Strategy at DTN/The Progressive Farmer, responsible for aligning the company’s media platforms in print, digital and events to the communications needs of agri-marketing companies and their advertising agencies. Her responsibilities are focused nationally and across both row crop and livestock segments.

A long time NAMA member, Sheri has been active with the association at both a local and national level. She has served as Chicago Chapter President, Region IV Director, National Best of NAMA Chair and the 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference Chair. She joined the Executive Committee in 2013.

VICE PRESIDENTS

-Gary Sakin 
 Gateway Chapter
 Monsanto

 

 

 

 

 

-Sara Steever
 Northern Prairie Chapter
 Paulsen

 

 

 

 

 

-Amber Harrison
 Iowa Chapter
 United Suppliers, Inc.

 

 

 

 

-Scott McClure
 Gateway Chapter
 Brighton Agency

 

 

 

 

-Sue Lee
 MoKan Chapter
 Brownfield Ag News

 

 

 

 

-Deron Johnson
 MoKan Chapter
 FLM+

 

 

 

 

NAMA is proud to announce W. Dwight Armstrong, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the National FFA Organization, as this year’s Agribusiness Leader of the Year.

This award, which is NAMA’s highest honor, recognizes outstanding leadership in private, public or academic service and is conferred each year to a senior agribusiness executive who not only exemplifies excellence in agribusiness but has also made significant contributions to the industry.  Now in its 16^th year, the award will be presented at the Opening General Session of the 2016 Agri-Marketing Conference, “From the Ground Up,” April 14, 2016, in Kansas City.

Dwight Armstrong has a passion for agriculture and its role in food security.  This passion has infiltrated all aspects of his life. Like other industry leaders, he appreciates the serious and urgent challenge of feeding a global population that will top 9 billion by 2050.  That is why he is focused on delivering the human capital to get that job done.  He works daily to ensure youth are being educated on issues of hunger and food security, as well as playing active roles in their communities.  Through his career, he has mentored, developed and honed many leaders around the globe.

Under Armstrong’s leadership at FFA, there has been dramatic growth in FFA student membership, National FFA Foundation contributions and attendance at the National FFA Convention & Expo.  The organization achieved an all-time record membership this year with 629,327 student members in grades 7-12 in 7,757 local FFA chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Attendance at the National FFA Convention & Expo grew from 53,473 in 2009 to 65,173 in 2015, making it the nation’s largest student gathering.  During his tenure, financial stability was strengthened for both the National FFA Foundation and the National FFA Organization.  Under the banner of “We Are FFA,” Armstrong created close collaboration and complementary strategic direction for both organizations.

His leadership and service to agriculture have been lifelong, from his early years as an FFA member and his first degree in agriculture from Murray State University.  He continues to serve the industry on numerous business and not-for-profit boards including: Agri-Corps board; Shoulder to Shoulder board; Mathile Institute board and the Professional Services board.  He has received numerous awards and recognitions including an Honorary Doctorate from Purdue University and the Distinguished Service Award from the American Feed Industry Association.

NAMA proudly announces that Dan Fanger, Vice President – Sales and Marketing, Unverferth Manufacturing, Co., Inc., has been selected as the 2016 NAMA Marketer of the Year.

This recognition is the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing. For more than 50 years NAMA has been encouraging and promoting excellence in the industry by recognizing outstanding professional accomplishments. The NAMA Marketer of the Year award will be presented during the Second General Session of the 2016 Agri-Marketing Conference, on Thursday, April 14, in Kansas City, Mo., and is sponsored by Agri Marketing magazine.

Beginning in 1965 as the first full-time sales person for Unverferth Manufacturing Company, Fanger learned early how to build upon the company founders’ successes by listening not only to what customers say, but to dig deeper to determine what they really mean.  The knowledge he gained has sparked the innovation of new products and initiated numerous product enhancements that made them more valuable to farmers and increased dealer-customer profitability.

With Fanger’s appointment in 1991 as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Unverferth continued to develop new products.  Throughout the ‘90s, he focused on expanding the hiring and training of a direct-sales force across North America.

Fanger’s innovative marketing and managerial abilities have helped the company prosper in both up and down markets.  Innovations, such as a dedicated dealer program, have helped the company gain market share and maintain a competitive edge.  Raising the level of partnerships with vendors has further positioned the company as a leader in implement manufacturing and technology.

As a long-standing member of Ohio NAMA, Fanger makes chapter events a priority and encourages others in the company’s marketing department to be active participants.  Throughout his tenure, several of his staff have served as chapter presidents and assisted at the national level.

As part of its commitment to developing a strategic, long-term plan for the association, the NAMA executive committee recently participated in Brand Dimension™, a brand discovery exercise conducted by the Brighton Agency.

Brand Dimension is a propriety branding process developed by Brighton to help clients connect the promise of their brand to the desires of its consumers or, in the case of an association, its members and industry.  The  process identifies, defines and creates alignment on core elemental aspects of the brand that form the foundation for all messaging strategies and platforms. Brand Dimension delves into audience beliefs and behaviors to get to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the audience, brand and category. It’s ultimately an examination of what the brand means to the audience and how it relates to them. These insights and understandings are the basis for the “story” the brand tells consumers. That story gives the brand authenticity and dimension, and allows consumers to immerse themselves into the brand, making it part of their personal experience.

“For NAMA, understanding its purpose and mission today, and developing its story, are important to ensuring the association is strategically positioned with the industry, members, and prospects for future success and growth,” said Jerry Gennaria, Vice President of Strategy & Insights for Brighton. “Brighton is proud to support NAMA as it continues to serve agricultural marketers and advance our industry.

Brighton, a full-service, strategic marketing agency headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., is a sustaining partner of NAMA. Its mission is to build relationships by connecting brands and people with thoughtful and engaging marketing solutions.

Paul Redhage Named 2015 NAMA Marketer of the Year

The National Agri-Marketing Association has announced Paul Redhage has been selected as the 2015 NAMA Marketer of the Year.

This recognition is the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and honors outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing. For more than 50 years NAMA has been encouraging and promoting excellence in the industry by recognizing outstanding professional accomplishments. The NAMA Marketer of the Year award will be presented during the Second General Session of the 2015 Agri-Marketing Conference, on Thursday, April 16, in Kansas City, Mo., and is sponsored by Agri Marketing magazine.

Until his retirement in January, 2015, Redhage served as Strategic Communications Manager for FMC Corporation.  FMC is a diversified chemical company serving agricultural, industrial and consumer markets around the world. He was a key contributor in making Authority® herbicide a leading brand in the soybean pre-emergent market and also helped elevate Authority as a “Top of Mind” brand in pre-emergents.

Redhage has distinguished himself amongst his peers throughout his career and has been recognized for his accomplishments. In 2012, he received the University of Missouri Ag Alumni Citation of Merit. He also received the NAMA Dilworth Award for Innovation in 2007/8, and was awarded NAMA Marketing Communicator of the Year in 2008/9.

Redhage’s professional experience includes crop protection products, animal health, livestock feeds, agricultural fertilizers and food manufacturing. Prior to joining FMC, he served as Communications Manager at BASF from 1990-2002, Senior Account Supervisor at Brighton Advertising from 1989-1990 and kicked-off his career as an Account Supervisor at Kenrick Advertising from 1985-1989.

Redhage has also been deeply involved and made significant contributions to the development of NAMA, especially during his year of service as National NAMA President in 2013. His outstanding campaign work with Capture LFR won Best of NAMA awards in 2012/13, and Authority was awarded Best of NAMA for ad campaigns in 2013.

For a number of years Redhage served as a senior judge for the prestigious Student NAMA Marketing Competition. He excelled in this role, in large part because of his passion for mentoring young professionals, but also because of his desire to “give back” to the industry he loves. He consistently received high marks from the students for his thorough consideration, his insightful questions and his fair criticism. This example demonstrates his exemplary character, contribution to the industry and passion for innovative marketing that sets him apart from his peers.