LIA Briefs

Congratulations to Richard Durrant, Class 9, elected as Vice President of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation at their State Convention in CDA this past week. Richard will provide leadership in his new role to the state's largest farm organization with over 80,000 members. Richard will serve with a number of LIA alumni who are members of the IFBF State Board of Directors: Tom Mosman, Class 9; Galen Lee, Class 10; Matt Dorsey, Class 29; and Rick Pearson, Class 21.
 
Congratulations to Joel Wasem, Class 38, and his wife, Jordan, on the birth of a son, Jason Joel, born on December 2. Jason entered the world weighing 7 lbs. and 14 ounces and was 21" long. Jason joins an older sister and brother. Joel is employed at CHS Primeland in Grangeville.
 
Class 40 also celebrated a new addition to their class family; Madelyn Jana Ashcraft was born on Monday, December 9, to Jared Ashcraft and his wife, Amanda. Madelyn weighed in at 8 lbs. 6 ounces and was 20" long. She joins two older brothers and one older sister. Jared works for Idaho Ag Credit in Rexburg as a loan officer.
 
Sympathy is extended to Katie Dennis, Class 40, who lost her mother to cancer on Thursday before the start of the Moscow Session. Katie is employed with USDA NRCS in Gooding.
 
We recently learned that Steve Fullmer, Class 11, passed away in October. Our sympathy is extended to his wife, Diane, and extended family members. Steve had been employed with USDA FSA in Blackfoot.
 
Governor Brad Little recently appointed a Shared Stewardship Advisory Committee. Serving as a member of that committee is Dustin Miller, Class 28, who is the State Director of the Idaho Department of Lands.
 
On November 24, Ben Schumacher, Class 39, became engaged to Tia Brady. Ben works for Seeds Inc. on the Camas Prairie.
 
Sympathy is extended to Andrea Thompson, Class 40, on the sudden passing of her father on December 9. Andrea is employed at the Idaho State Department of Agriculture as a Field Services Program Specialist based in Boise.
 
Idaho Ag in the Classroom (AITC) recognized three individuals with the Advocate of Idaho Agriculture Award. Candi Fitch, Class 28, Benjamin Kelly, Class 29, and Nic Gibson, Class 37. Each was selected for a different role that they have played in supporting the AITC program. The presentation of the awards took place at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the organization.
 
Elected to the Board of Directors for Idaho Ag in the Classroom were the following: Stephanie Duckett, Class 40; Matt Gellings, Class 19; and Ann Jacops, Class 31. Stephanie and Matt are both involved in production agriculture. Ann works in the same office as Candi Fitch and represents a number of commodity organizations.
 
The Christmas Holiday Season is the ideal time to promote the sale of tickets for the Grand Prize for the LIA Auction. Tickets are available online at www.leadershipidahoag.org/auction. During the Pocatello Session, members of Class 40 were given ten tickets each to sell.
 
Thanks to Travis Lammers, Class 34, who stepped in to help with the Pocatello Session of LIA in the absence of Co-chairman Kyle Wangemann. Travis served as a co-chairman for Class 39 and was familiar with the routine.
 
We appreciate the LIA Alumni who served as speech coaches during the Pocatello Session: Mark Pratt, Class 11, was the coordinator for the coaches and those serving included: Wendy Pratt, Class 35; Logan Schmidt, Class 37; Janice Stimpson, Class 17; Derek Reed, Class 31; and Kyle Wangemann, Class 36. Teaching the public speaking portion of the program was Lisa Shively, Class 15. The afternoon centered around small group work on public speaking and that evening, six speakers were selected to present to the class. Those selected to speak included: Cori Wittman Stitt, Lapwai; Dave Reynolds, Kuna; Cindy Vaughn, Sandpoint; Bo Isham, Wilder; Joe Moore, Nampa; and Devin Fielding, Shelley.