NAMA is pleased to announce  Sonny Beck, president, Beck’s Hybrids, as the 2014 Agribusiness Leader of the Year. This award, which is NAMA’s highest honor, will be presented at the Opening General Session of the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference, “A Fresh Perspective,” April 10, 2014, in Jacksonville, Florida. The award honors outstanding leaders in agribusiness, education, government service or other agribusiness related areas who exemplify excellence in agribusiness by their significant contributions to the industry.

Sonny Beck, president of Beck’s Hybrids, has led the company to unprecedented growth. As the largest family-owned seed company in the United States, Beck’s Hybrids is now the sixth largest seed company in the U.S. Under Sonny’s leadership, Beck’s Hybrids has experienced a 20 percent increase in sales each year for the last 20 years, doubling in size every four years.

As soon as Beck joined the family operation in 1964, after graduating from Purdue University, he never let grass grow under his feet. Always aiming at building closer, stronger relationships with customers, Beck immediately launched a couple of customer events that are now long-standing traditions.

It was in that same year, Beck started what is now called the Practical Farm Research (PFR)® program. Still today, the PFR program is unlike any other in the seed industry. Focused on farmer’s needs, hundreds of studies are completed at five Beck’s locations in an effort to look at how different management practices perform in different environments. The information is delivered to farmers across the Midwest in a 280-page summary book, website and field shows.

Beck has frequently stated that before 1992 Beck’s Hybrids was a seed producer who happened to do some marketing, but with the arrival of traits, Beck’s became a marketing company who happened to produce most of their own seed.

But it was not just traits that Beck and the Beck’s Hybrids team pursued. In 2001, Beck’s Hybrids was the first to market 100 percent of its seed corn with a seed-applied insect control system called FaSTart®. Over time the seed treatment evolved and in 2009 Beck’s Hybrids became the first seed company to put together a unique set of yield-enhancing products called Escalate® yield enhancement system. Escalate comes standard on all Beck’s corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa products.

Beck’s dedication and passion for agriculture extends far beyond Beck’s Hybrids. He has played an integral role in leading several agricultural organizations, providing each with a unique leadership approach, ultimately guiding them to newer heights.

 

 

 

NAMA is pleased to announce that Jeff Hartz, director of marketing, Wyffels Hybrids, has been named the 2014 NAMA Marketer of the Year. The NAMA Marketer award will be presented during the Second General Session of the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference, “A Fresh Perspective” on Thursday, April 10 at 11:00 a.m. in Jacksonville, Florida and is sponsored by Agri Marketing magazine.

Jeff Hartz spent his first 6 to 12 months at Wyffels Hybrids just listening. He asked a lot of questions and attended a lot of meetings. He talked to employees, seed reps and customers…and even competitors. Through this intense discovery period, he defined what Wyffels stood for, how they are different than competitors, what the marketing team needed to focus its efforts on and new, strategic growth strategies.

Hartz has been instrumental in improving customer retention year over year. Each year his goal is to meet or exceed 60% of new customers’ business in year two. As of today, Wyffels Hybrids has reached 67% retention rate of new customers and 78% continued customer retention, the highest in the business along with one of the industry leaders, according to market research.

Hartz understood that Wyffels Hybrids is a challenger brand in a cluttered and confusing market. He took what he already knew through his years of experience about challenger brands and applied that knowledge, along with market research, to Wyffels. He also considered what he found to be true about the company’s products and people through his discovery process. Then, he built a branding document around that knowledge and insight that company leaders and all employees now use to help guide nearly every decision they make.

As the marketing director, Hartz oversees all strategic marketing efforts including advertising and public relations and the development of the Wyffels brand. He works closely with growers, the sales force and the National Sales Director to develop programs and materials that meet their needs and reinforce Wyffels’ position as one of the leading independent seed corn companies in the industry. His role is constantly evolving as a member of the leadership team.

Hartz became active on a national scale with NAMA when he joined the Careers Committee in 2008 and provided value to that committee for three years, motivating future members of the ag marketing industry. He also encouraged one of his team members to join the committee, securing a continued commitment from Wyffels Hybrids.

His work as vice chair, then chair of the Best of NAMA Committee in 2012 ensured members received recognition for the outstanding work accomplished. He also served as a national awards judge in 2010 and 2014. As a former advertising creative copywriter, Hartz has always had an eye for excellence in marketing communications efforts and thrives on applauding the creative efforts of his peers, realizing that some of the best work in today’s marketplace is coming from those in agriculture.

Best of  NAMA Regional Winners

Congrats to all the Best of  NAMA winners!  If you placed first or merit at the regional level, you are eligible to advance to the national competition.  You should have received an email from the National office about advancing your entries.  If you have questions, call 913-491-6500.

Please click on a region below to view winners and check out photos at flickr.

Region I

Region II

Region III

Region IV

Region V

Region VI

Best of NAMA Highlights

Region 1 Best of NAMA

The AdFarm office in Sacramento, California, hosted a reception and awards ceremony on January 27 to honor the best work for the Desert Southwest and Western Pacific chapters.  Those attending also got to hear the California Rice Commission’s fascinating marketing story, presented by Jim Morris, Communications Manager for the Commission.

 

Best of Show Advertising

Category:  Premiums/Specialties directed to farmers, growers, ranchers or others serving agribusiness

Company:  Canola Council of Canada (CCC)

Agency:  broadhead.

Campaign:  Canola Meal Calculator Launcher

 

Best of Show Public Relations

Category:  Media Relations

Company:  U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA)

Agency:  Ketchum

Campaign:  The Faces of Farming & Ranching are Leading the Food Dialogues

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Region II Best of NAMA

Nearly 150 people attended the awards banquet at the Boulevard Brewing Company on January 16 in Kansas City, Missouri.  The ceremony honored the best work for the Cornhusker, Gateway, Great Plains, Missouri-Kansas, Rocky Mountain and Southwest chapters.

Best of Show Advertising

Category:  Multimedia Campaigns – Regional

Company:  Great Salt Lake Minerals Corp.

Agency:  Salva O’Renick

Campaign:  Almond Replenish Campaign

Best of Show Public Relations

Category:  Company Publications – Annual Reports

Company:  Farm Credit National Communications

Agency:  In-house

Campaign:  Producing Excellence Commemorative Book

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Region III Best of NAMA

With over 155 people in attendance at the awards banquet on January 30 at Target Field in Minneapolis, the ceremony honored the Cornbelt, Iowa, North Central and Northern Prairie chapters.

Best of Show Advertising (not pictured)

Category:  Multimedia Campaigns – Local

Company: Bayer CropScience

Agency:  MacLaren McCann 

Campaign:  Folicur Bushels to Bottles Campaign

Best of Show Public Relations (not pictured)

Category:  Overall PR Program – Directed to farmers, growers, ranchers or others serving agribusiness

Company: RAM Trucks

Agency:  Farms.com, with The Richards Group

Campaign:  Farms.com RAM Truck God made a Farmer Campaign

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Region IV Best of NAMA

The Badger, Chicago, Heartland and Mid-America Chapters celebrated their Best Work on January 23 at the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with over 160 in attendance.

Best of Show Advertising (not pictured)

Category:  Producer or Company-funded
advertising directed to consumers

Company:  Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board/Wisconsin Cheese

Agency:   Shine United

Campaign:  Love Letters

Best of Show Public Relations (not pictured)

Category:  Social Media

Company:  Wisconsin Milk Marketing

Board/Wisconsin Cheese

Agency:  Shine United

Campaign:  Wisconsin Cheese 2013 Social Media Campaign

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Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA

The Carolinas/Virginia Chapter celebrated its annual Best of NAMA awards ceremony on January 21 at the Hamner Conference Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Best of Show Advertising within the Chapter

Category:  Customer Brochures, Catalogs – farmer directed-1 or more elements

Company:  Syngenta

Agency:  Gibbs & Soell

Campaign:  Grow More Corn Grower Profiles

 

Best of Show Public Relations within the Chapter

Category:  News or Feature Article – Trade Media

Company:  Syngenta

Agency:  Gibbs & Soell

Campaign:  Mystery Solved

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Midsouth Best of NAMA

The Midsouth Chapter gathered at Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 23 to celebrate winners for their work in Midsouth agriculture.

 

Best of Show Advertising within the Chapter

Category:  Television – Single or Series

Company:  Deltapine

Agency:  Brighton Agency

Campaign:  Deltapine Texas TV

 

Best of Show Public Relations within the Chapter

Category:  Company Publications – Annual Reports

Company:  Tennessee Farmers Cooperative

Agency:  In-house

Campaign:  All That Matters

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Southeastern Best of NAMA

Cinco, in Suwanee, Georgia, was the site for the Southeastern Chapter’s Best of NAMA Awards ceremony.  Winners gathered on January 23 to receive awards and congratulations.

 

Best of Show Advertising within the Chapter

Category:  Direct Mail – directed to dealers, distributors, sales reps or others serving agribusiness – three dimensional

Company:  Chemtura AgroSolutions

Agency:  Charleston|Orwig

Campaign:  Rancona® Dealer Follow-Up Direct Mail Series

 

Best of Show Public Relations within the Chapter

Category:  Events – Customer

Company:  South Carolina State Fair

Agency:  Post No Bills

Campaign:  South Carolina State Fair’s Indie Grits 48 Hour Film Blitz

 

 

 

Congratulations Best of NAMA Regional Winners!  Your hard work and efforts have been recognized and you are now eligible to advance to Best of NAMA Judging in February.

Region I Best of NAMA winners visit http://www.nama.org/14bonreg1win.pdf

Region II Best of NAMA winners visit http://www.nama.org/14bonreg2win.pdf.

Region III Best of NAMA winners visit http://nama.org/14bonreg3win.pdf

Region IV Best of NAMA winners visit http://www.nama.org/14bonreg4win.pdf .

Region V Best of NAMA winners visit  http://www.nama.org/14bonreg5win.pdf

Region VI Best of NAMA winners visit  http://www.nama.org/14bonreg6win.pdf

Don’t forget to check out photos on flickr from Best of NAMA Awards Banquets.  Visit frequently as we are updating daily.

Winners are eligible to advance to the  National Best of NAMA Judging in February with the National Awards Ceremony taking place at the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference in Jacksonville.  We hope to see you all there!  For conference details visit http://www.nama.org/amc/.

 

NAMA is excited to roll out our new E-News format!  Here’s to a fresh new look for 2014.  Hope to see you all in Jacksonville, April 9-11.

 

NAMA is pleased to  announce  KBM Group, the global leader in knowledge-based marketing solutions, as a new Sustaining Partner.

“KBM Group helps its Fortune 1000 clients achieve remarkably better returns on their marketing investment by unlocking the value in their data and putting it to work,” said Jenny Pickett, NAMA Executive Vice President/CEO, in announcing the partnership. “Their support is not only an endorsement of the industry and the Association today, but also a pledge to help us—and our members— continue to be at the forefront of agricultural marketing in the years to come. We are delighted with this statement of support.”

As a Sustaining Partner, KBM Group will receive additional exposure at upcoming NAMA events and on the Association’s website, Pickett explained.

 

A special thanks to all of the leaders that served this past year.   A special note of thanks to Paul Redhage, FMC, and Sally Behringer, MustangRed Communications who will be leaving the NAMA Executive Committee.  And welcome to Scott McClure, Brighton Agency, and Amber Harrision, United Suppliers, who join the Executive Committee in 2014.

At the board meeting in September the board voted to discontinue the Regional Director position and add the National Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs to the Board of Directors.   We look forward to the coming year.