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Our newsletter highlights current happenings, accomplishments, and coming events to keep our Leadership Idaho Agriculture alumni fully connected and informed. Below, you'll find not only the valuable information found in our most recently newsletter, but you may also enjoy perusing some of our other newsletters from recent times. |
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MARCH
2010 NEWS
Excitement in
the Air There’s a certain atmosphere in the air when
LIA Alumni members get together with the current graduating class.
That was what I felt in the Boise Session, February 8-11.
The 2010 event was tied to the Larry Branen Idaho Ag Summit and
with each day’s events and activities, there was an excitement. Networking has always been an important part of the LIA experience and
this year was no exception. Several
members of Class 30 came to me and said, “I can’t believe I just met someone who is an LIA graduate and the
connection we have in common”.
I hear that comment frequently and networking remains to be one
of the major benefits and accomplishments of participation in the
program. At the Last
Supper, one graduating member said to me, “There must be high-profile LIA Alumni in
almost every community throughout Idaho”.
I would like to think that with 730 graduates, that the
individual is right! Not
only would there be the presence of a graduate in every community, but
a person (LIA graduate) who is making a difference in how that
community operates as part of our state. There
are so many things to recap from the Boise session.
Thanks to many LIA Alumni who joined us for the activities and
events, and for those who were not able to be present, I will try to
share the excitement and atmosphere of the days shared together in
Boise. Rick Waitley, Exec. Director Thank You… Saying thanks to two long-term LIA Trustees was part
of the 2010 Annual Meeting. Retiring
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rich Garber, LIA Class 2, and Janice Stimpson, LIA Class 17, demonstrated the dedication and
support of LIA Alumni. Both
Garber and Stimpson served a total of seven years as trustees.
Shortly after the LIA Alumni Session, the trustees received the
resignation from Scott
Nicholson, LIA Class 14, who stepped down from the trustees due
to the growth in the family business and demands on his time. Board of
Trustees Update New members elected to serve on the LIA Board of Trustees are the
following:
Also selected
by the Nominating Committee for the board of trustees are:
Both Branen
and Stott are non-LIA graduates. The
board of trustees feels it is important to maintain outside counsel
and advice on LIA decisions and mission. At the 2010
annual meeting, the following officers were elected to serve for the
coming year for the board of trustees:
At an Advisory Committee meeting following the
LIA Annual Meeting, the following officers were elected to lead the
LIA Advisory Committee:
Names In The News Congratulations
to:
Sympathy is extended to:
NOTE: We always appreciate
receiving notes and information about LIA Alumni.
Please drop me a line at rick@amgidaho.com
so we can keep fellow alumni informed. Board Strategic Planning On April
15-16, the LIA Board of Trustees will travel to Riggins, Idaho to the
Best Western facility and lock themselves in for two days of strategic
planning as they work to project and plan for the future of the
program. The trustees
hired Andy Fujimoto from Boise who is associated with AmeriBen/IEC
Group to serve as the facilitator. A
summary report of the work of the trustees will be provided following
the planning session. Successful 2010 Alumni Auction Special
thanks to David
Temple, LIA Class 26, and his wife Becky
Temple, LIA Class 29, for their
excellent leadership in working toward the goal of $30,000 to be
raised at the LIA Auction. When
it was all said and done, David Temple announced the next day at the
graduation of LIA Class 30 that the auction had generated over
$30,000. Now that the dust
has settled, the actual total raised for the auction was $31,230!
This took a
great deal of planning, dedication and support from many people.
The annual Gala Dinner and Auction is growing each year and we
are at capacity for the DoubleTree Ballroom.
There is an excitement in the air throughout the evening and
many new friendships are forged during the event.
The food is great, activity level high and the fellowship
between guests, LIA Alumni and current Class members is exciting. LIA Statesman Award The Wayne
Meyer (LIA Class 27)LIA Alumni Statesman Award was presented to Rep.
Pat Takasugi. Takasugi graduated in LIA Class 4., and is involved in a
family farming operation near Wilder.
Takasugi has held a wide variety of leadership positions in his
community, state and even nationally in recent years.
Takasugi is the former Director of Agriculture and was elected
to the Idaho Legislature in 2009.
Present for the award was Karleen Meyer, spouse of Wayne Meyer
and his daughter, Jaime Deacon, a graduate of LIA Class 30. Class 31 Recruiting To Begin Applications are due in our office on August 1 and must include
application form, two letters of recommendations as well as a 50-word
essay. Tuition is
$2000/participant. Each participant is responsible for their own
travel and lodging for the four locations. The four sessions will be held as follows:
You can
contact our office for an application or go online at www.leadershipidahoag.org
to secure an application for a friend, family member or associate. Capitol Tours A
highlight of the Alumni Session was the tours to the recently
renovated State Capitol Building.
We had over 150 LIA alumni, family members and guests join us
for the Thursday morning activity.
Tours were conducted by Dorita
Waitley, Rich Garber, LIA Class 2, Benjamin Kelly, LIA Class 29 and
Brad Hoaglun, LIA Class 16.
The morning went very smoothly with a charter bus transporting
our LIA friends to and from the hotel and Capitol Building.
Many LIA Class 30 members brought children and teens who
enjoyed the capitol tours. The
renovation is beautiful and, for many of the LIA folks who were
visiting, the opportunity was the first time for several to return to
the State Capitol since their years in school. GOLDEN PIG and LOOSE CHANGE AWARDS The
2010 LIA Auction started off with emcee Dale Dixon introducing each
member of the LIA Foundation Board of Trustees. Trustees had come to
the evening prepared to dump loose change into a wheelbarrow that
passed in front of them to start off the LIA auction activities.
The total raised in loose change - $683.10. Award
winners of Golden Pig Awards for the most money was Rich Garber, LIA Class 2, and for the most weight in coins was Ken
Burgess, LIA Class 20. The
Loose Change activity is a great way for LIA Alumni to support the
Foundation. Right
now – establish a container that can be your collection point
for loose change throughout the year and then bring that container
with you to the LIA Alumni Auction next year to enter the competition!
Special thanks goes to LIA Class 29 who took on the challenge of
Loose Change this year and raised over
10#’s of loose change. Friends of LIA Friend
of LIA Awards were presented at LIA Class 30 graduation to:
SPECIAL RECOGNITION was
presented at the 2010 Graduation to the following LIA Alumni:
Lifetime Membership:
Robert Hays, LIA Class 28
Kris Smelser, LIA Class 23
Chris McIntosh, LIA Class 17
Pat Takasugi, LIA Class 4
Ken Roberts, LIA Class 14
Dick Rush (non-graduate, LIA Trustees)
Ten Years of Continuous LIA Membership:
Jack Bell, LIA Class 13
Wayne Hammon, LIA Class 14
Robert Blakeslee, LIA Class 14
Ritchey Toevs, LIA Class 2
Steve Braun, LIA Class 14
Robert Troxel, LIA Class 14
Darin Doerr, LIA Class 14
Shawna VanBeek, LIA Class 11 ALUMNI
SESSION A GREAT SUCCESS The LIA Alumni Session program was pulled together by the Alumni
Planning Committee led by Mitch Lucero, LIA Class 28.
The speakers, topics and content were well received by everyone
in attendance. Thanks
Mitch, you and your committee did a great job! LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS The Larry Branen Idaho Ag Summit Planning Committee is a great place for
involvement as an LIA alumni member.
The 2011 co-chairman will be Travis
Jones, LIA Class 28.
The Larry Branen Ag Summit in 2011 will take place on Monday, February 14 and
Tuesday, February 15 prior to the LIA Alumni Session. Both events will
be at the Doubletree Riverside in Boise. If you are interested in being on the Planning Committee for the 2011
Summit, please contact Kay Johnson in our office at kay@amgidaho.com. SUNDAY
NIGHT in Boise was a great event as we celebrated the Super Bowl and a Taco
Feed at the home of Bob and
Becky Hays. Bob was
a member of LIA Class 28. The Hays
opened their home to over 80 alumni, trustees, guests and members of LIA
Class 30. Helping
host the event were LIA Class
28 members. The
food was great, the fellowship even better, and the spirit of
cooperation and support for LIA abounds. Thanks Bob, Becky,
Treasure Valley LIA Alumni and Class 28 for making this such a
successful event! BE AN ADVOCATE FOR AG The Idaho Ag in the Classroom program is very connected to LIA Alumni. The Idaho AITC program looks to LIA Alumni for tour locations, meeting speakers and connection for BBQ’s with teachers participating in the program. The dates and locations for workshops and tours for 2010 are as follows:
Now is the time to let your family members’ teachers know about these workshops and tours. Every teacher needs credits to continue their certification in Idaho. Why not participate in a tour and/or workshop that provides practical information featuring our industry – agriculture. Two
other ways you can be involved with Idaho AITC are through the
purchase of an Ag
License Plate to
promote the industry and AITC program or through your membership
as
an individual or organization. Membership
forms and additional information about Idaho AITC can be found on the
website at www.idahoaitc.org.
Enclosed is a flyer that tells more about the AITC license
plate program. Help us
promote Idaho agriculture by placing ag plates on your family
vehicles. Final Thoughts The LIA Board of Trustees contracted to
develop a new promotional video to market the LIA program.
At the 2009 and again at the 2010 Alumni Session, we have shown
the video and asked for input and recommendations.
The final product is something that LIA can be very proud of
and will help us sell the program to potential candidates and, the
trustees believe, to future donors. The video spans a number of classes.
The production was done by Brad Elsberg, Nampa, a familiar face
to LIA as Brad is usually working AV needs at our auction and Boise
Session. The original
script was written by Trustee Vice Chairman, Dale Dixon, LIA Class 21.
The video features a number of interviews with LIA alumni
members who share their insight and opinions about the LIA Experience.
NOTE: If you would like to schedule the video for a presentation, please
feel free to contact our office. I
am amazed by the number of graduates who are advancing in positions of
leadership within their companies and their communities, making a
difference where they live and work. I
remember hearing former Director of Agriculture Dick Rush say when the
program was first getting started, “We are concerned about the age of our boards, councils and commissions
and want to protect the future of our state with good leaders in our
communities, businesses and agencies of government”. That was in 1985.
Now, after 25 years, we are seeing the results of that vision
and the investment of many people through the years.
But, the task is not finished.
I am reminded every day as I go to the Capitol Building of how
vitally important good leaders are to the entire process.
State Legislators are only one portion of the greater puzzle.
Think about the city, county, agribusiness leaders throughout
our state and the vital role they play.
The promotional video will tell the story of a few of our
graduates and highlight some of the success the program has had.
But, the real success story lies in each of you as leaders who
are making a difference. My
final comments – keep recruiting candidates for future classes, stay
informed on alumni events and activities, and remain involved.
Cultivate the network of LIA graduates throughout the state, region
and across the country. It’s
a pleasure to have YOU as a graduate of Leadership Idaho Agriculture! RW |
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