Congratulations to Brennan Gabiola-Harris, Class 32, who recently has been named to the board of directors for the Idaho Onion Growers' Association. Brennan will be serving as an at-large director.
 
The Idaho State Land Board has named a new director for the Idaho Department of Lands, Dustin Miller, Class 36.  Dustin will lead the department, which has over 320 full-time employees and 250 seasonal employees. Dustin most recently has been serving as the director of the Office of Species Conservation for Governor Butch Otter.
 
The Idaho Ag Summit Governor's Awards Committee met recently to select the recipients of the awards given in five categories. Some of those selected have ties to LIA:

• Philip Soulen - Lifetime Achievement - father of Margaret Soulen Hinson, Class 12

• Dan Dixon - Education/Advocacy - father of Dale Dixon, Class 21, and Dave Dixon, Class 15

 
Speaking of recognition... At the Twin Falls County Fair, four families have been selected in a program called Featured Farm Families by Food Producers of Idaho and some have LIA connections:

• 4 Open A Farm - owners Wayne and Samantha Anderson, Class 23

• Matthews Land & Cattle - two generations of Matthews: father, Eugene, son, Blake Matthews, Class 36, and his two younger brothers

• R and S Farm -Susan and Rick Pearson, Class 21

 
Congratulations to Leah Clark, Class 26, on the engagement of her youngest daughter, Lauren. Lauren plans to marry her college sweetheart, a veterinarian, in August 2019. Both are graduates of Oklahoma State University.
 
LIA alumni have plenty to do with water in Idaho. Throughout the winter months, many of you will see Ron Abramovich, Class 28, on the news reporting on the snow survey for Idaho in various water basins. Ron is with NRCS and handles the snow survey. All of that winter snow melts and runs into reservoirs and water systems overseen by LIA alumni including: Brian Olmstead, Class 29, manager of Twin Falls Canal Company; Alan Hansten, Class 36, manager of North Side Canal Company; Greg Curtis, Class 31, manager of Nampa Meridian Irrigation Company; and Mark Zirschky, Class 32, manager of Pioneer Irrigation District, not to mention a number of employees in various canal and irrigation companies that are also LIA graduates. During the summer if you live in the Treasure Valley, you can watch Scott Koberg, Class 24, director of Ada County Parks and Waterways, report on the conditions for floating the Boise River. All of this is to say that water is pretty important to Idaho and we have some great LIA alumni engaged in its management all along the way.
 
Kim Royer, Class 24, was named the premier breeder and exhibitor at the Western Idaho Fair for her Boer goats. Congratulations, Kim.
 
Rick Waitley, Class 8, was recently reappointed by ISDA Director Celia Gould to the Idaho Preferred Advisory Committee. The Idaho Preferred program is led by Leah Clark, Class 26.
 
Remember, now is the time to pay your LIA alumni dues for 2018-2019. You can pay online by clicking here.
 
FINAL CALL for any changes that you have for the 2018-2019 Directory. Send them to Lisa at [email protected] . Instructions for updates are still on the LIA website here. NOTE: This year, annual and lifetime members will be mailed not only the new LIA Directory, but also a first-ever LIA Annual Report for 2017-2018. We think you will be pleased to have this summary of the people, activities and finances of LIA in this annual report. You must have your dues paid in order to receive these materials. Pay online or mail your dues today.
 
Are you an alumnus living out of the state of Idaho? If you are, you might reside in a state that has an ag leadership program. Many of the states have a reciprocal agreement with Idaho and you can join and participate in that state's leadership program as an alumnus from Idaho. We have several in Idaho's membership that have graduated from programs in other states. Let us know if you are interested in connecting with a contact person in the state where you live.

Elli Brown, Class 32, recently announced her engagement to Travis Gibbens. The couple is planning to be married in Coeur d'Alene on September 29. Elli works for INL at their Boise office.
 
Congratulations to Alex Reed, Class 35, and his wife, Leah, on the birth of a third daughter, Eleanor, on July 20. Eleanor has four older siblings.
 
Malia Miller, Class 36, was joined by her husband, Ryan, Class 33, and their two daughters for her graduation from Purdue University with a master's degree in agriculture economics. The MBA will be awarded from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Malia and Ryan are involved in the family operation - Grant 4D Farms based in Rupert.
 
Brent Stanger, Class 18, recently was appointed by Governor Otter to serve a four-year term on the Idaho State Real Estate Appraiser Board. Congratulations, Brent.
 
Special thanks to Linda Rider, Class 22, and her husband, Rob, for hosting the Coeur d'Alene Regional Summer Event at Rider Ranch (east of Coeur d'Alene) for thirteen LIA alumni, family members and guests on July 17. Thanks also to Doug McIntosh, Class 19, and his wife, Brenda, and Art McIntosh, Class 31, for hosting the Palouse Regional Summer Event on July 18 at Lindsay Creek Winery where twenty-five alumni, family members and guests were present.
 
The team at Association Management Group has added a new staff member, Patxi Larrocea-Phillips, son of Flip Phillips, Class 3, and Susi Larrocea, Class 4. Patxi is a recent graduate from the University of Idaho School of Law and completed the bar exam the end of July. Patxi is married and lives in Nampa. He is also involved in the family farming and ranching operation.
 
Laura Wilder, Class 38, and her husband, Steve, were very busy the weekend of July 27-28 with wedding activities for their son, Brett, who married Liz Bumstead. Both newlyweds are graduates of the University of Idaho.
 
Thanks to many LIA Alumni who helped to staff and operate the Canyon County Fair - Ag Country display at the end of July. Over 6,000 people passed through the display and over 1,500 quizzes were completed.
 
Blair Wilson, Class 11, has announced his retirement from Northwest Farm Credit Services where he most recently has been serving as Idaho president. Special retirement events are planned in Blair's honor on November 29 in the Nampa/Boise area.
 
Sympathy is extended to Rob Troxel, Class 14, and his wife, Barb, on the recent passing of Barb's mother.
 
Sixty individuals applied for the position of the Idaho Department of Lands Director. In the end, two of the three finalists had LIA connections. Teri Murrison, Affiliate Member out of the California program, and Dustin Miller, Class 28. The announcement of the new director should be made soon.
 
Quick reminder:

• Applications for Class 39 are still being received and will be until the middle of August
• Alumni dues for 2018-2019 are payable now at www.leadershipidahoag.org/membership
• LIA Idaho Public Policy Experience - February 11-14
• LIA Alumni Gala and Auction - Boise Centre, February 28
  
• LIA 2019 Washington, D.C., Experience - May 12-17