On October 12, Dan Mattson, Class 28, concluded 33 years of service to USDA Farm Service Agency. Not only is Dan changing occupations to start a new career, but his family is relocating to a new home in Moscow where Dan will become a VP, Commercial Relationship Manager for Columbia Bank in Pullman, WA.
 
Julie Burkhardt, Class 22, recently was appointed to the Adams County Planning and Zoning Commission. Julie stated, "I'm not sure it's that big of honor - it's just MORE WORK!"
 
Scott Jensen, Class 21, recently was elected to a two-year term on the National Association of County Agricultural Agents as a western regional director. Scott current serves as the Owyhee County Extension Educator.
 
Congratulations to Mark Pratt, Class 11, and Wendy Pratt, Class 35, on the engagement of their son, Seth, who works for Context, an ag communications business, and who is involved in the family farming and ranching operation in Firth. Seth and his fiancée, Leah Gibson, are planning a wedding in June 2019.
 
Rick Waitley, Class 8, will be teaching an Effective Meetings workshop in Blackfoot on Tuesday, November 13, from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM. The workshop is scheduled to be held at Idaho Ag Credit in Blackfoot. For more information, contact Rick at rick@amgidaho.com. The workshop is open to LIA alumni and friends.
 
Orientations are being held around Idaho for LIA Class 39 participants. Rick and Dorita Waitley are touring the state to meet with participants and their spouses to explain the LIA experience, which will start in November in Moscow.
 
Recently, a Personal Property Tax Tour was held in the Treasure Valley for the staff of the Idaho Tax Commission. Helping to coordinate the event and to tell the story of agriculture and personal property taxes, were Candi Fitch, Class 28, Idaho Hop Commission Administrator; Michelle Gooding, Class 38, hop grower; and Benjamin Kelly, Class 29, with Food Producers of Idaho.
 
Crystal Wilson, Class 36, who works for Dairy West, recently completed a Gallup's Accelerated Strengths Coaching course. In a few weeks, Crystal will take the exam and complete six coaching sessions, and once she has passed the exam, she will be a certified Gallup's Strengths Coach.
 
LIA GRADUATES don't just remain in Idaho after completing the LIA program. Here is a list of the states where LIA graduates currently reside:
Washington - 38
Oregon - 22
Utah - 10
California - 6
Montana - 5
Arizona - 4 
North Dakota - 4
Colorado - 2
Iowa - 2
Maryland - 2
Tennessee - 2
 
Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Illinois, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin join the ranks with one graduate in each state.
 
REMEMBER... dues for LIA are payable NOW. The new 2018-2019 LIA Directory is at the printer! As soon as they arrive, they will be mailed to all Lifetime and alumni members along with the first LIA Foundation Annual Report. Be sure your dues are paid in order to receive your copy of both. You can pay your dues online at www.leadershipidahoag.org/membership.
 
The U of I CALS recently held their Alumni Awards Luncheon. Being honored at that event were: Joe Anderson, Class 9, from Genesee for "Distinguished Alumni" and Joe Stewart, Class 16, from Nampa for "Distinguished Associate". Another recipient of the award was Mary Lee Wood for "Distinguished Retiree". Mary Lee was a Friend of LIA award winner in 2002 and taught a number of classes on workstyle personality traits for LIA participants through the years.

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 lisa@amgidaho.com . 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.