Directors & Staff

Board of Directors

Barbara Bleiweis

Development Committee
Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District Board (Chair)

Dr. Karolen Bowman

Scholarship Committee
Physician

Don Butler

Vice President
Executive & Development Committees
Smithfield Foods, Farmer (retired)

Jay Darden

Secretary
Finance Committee
Regional Sales Manager, Horizon Farm Credit

Jimmy Gentry

President
Executive (Chair), & Development Committees
President, The North Carolina State Grange

Tina Gross

Scholarship Committee
Farmer, Gross Farms

Shawn Harding

Development Committee
President, NC Farm Bureau Federation

Dr. John Hatcher

Finance Committee
Executive Director, NC Forestry Association

Chris Hughes

Development Committee
Past President, NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts

Evan Kleinhans

Treasurer
Finance Committee (Chair), Executive Committee
President and CEO, AgCarolina Farm Credit

Billy Kilpatrick

Scholarship Committee
1st Vice President, NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts

James “Cookie” Lamb

Scholarship Committee
Environmental Specialist, Prestage Farms

Roy Lee Lindsey

Finance Committee
Chief Executive Officer, NC Pork Council

Chester Lowder

Development Committee (Chair), Executive Committee
Farmer

Chad Puryear

Development Committee, Nominating Committee (Chair), Executive Committee
Chief Lending Officer, AgSouth Farm Credit

Herbert Rouse

Development Committee
President of Harvey Farms LLC

Jay Rouse

Nominating Committee
Director of Government Affairs, NC Association of Electric Cooperative Associations

George Teague

Finance Committee
President, NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts

Dr. Alton Thompson

Executive Committee, Scholarship Committee (Chair)
Executive Director, Association of 1890 Research Directors

Steve Troxler

Commissioner of Agriculture, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Neill Westerbeek

Development Committee
Grower Relations Manager, Smithfield Hog Production Division

Staff

Amanda Sand

Executive Director

Tom Potter

Program Manager

Gail Hughes

Program Manager

Alicia Moore

Administrative Officer

Bryana Eller

PROGRAM ASSISTANT