I'm a 5th generation farmer, growing corn & soybeans in Southwest MN. I farm with my brother, uncle and nephews. I also own Farm Gate Insurance Agency and provide crop insurance services to area farmers. My wife and I own a occasional retail store in Redwood Falls Mn called Overjoyed. We have 2 passionate & talented kids.

As part of my daily chores I believe its important to be engaged in the community and promote our Agriculture industry. I serve on numerous boards and councils to continue to make our community thrive.

Describe your AFA experience as a student.

My AFA experience started with a Postcard invite to the 1998 AFA Leaders Conference. Every word on the card resonated with me so I responded and applied to attend. I learned 3 students from South Dakota State University were attending and I car pooled down. At this time the Agriculture industry was in a down cycle and so coming to AFA and being around other Passionate, talanted and committed leaders who wanted to be engaged in the insustry was life altering. I knew I found the network I wanted to continue to grow in. I also learned I better pay attention and take the advice of the speakers. Like you become the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Or leaders read and learn from others, or don't let school get in the way of your education, and just GO do it! The friends I made have been amazing and broadened my perspective of Ag. I continue my journey as Track 2 & 3 delegate and served on the Student Advisory Team in 2001. I was a part of the alumni who shared we are not done learning - we are life long learners so we started the AFA Alliance which has continued to grow and evolve as AFA has grown. AFA has been a leadership compass and I have used these relationships guide me in my agriculture career.

How did your AFA Student experience influence your career journey?

AFA flipped my career aspirations from looking outside the ag industry to learning I had multiple choices in the ag space. AFA shared the importance of internships and I worked two summers with MN 4-H, one with Syngenta Seeds and one with Farmland Industries. Then with my leadership development network I became 4-H Program coordinator for two years before I moved into a Loan Officer in the Farm Credit system. After 7 years I helped launch a new seed and risk management co and in 2013 an opportunity to be engaged the family farm presented itself. I used the AFA network I had built as my board of directors to help me in making each transition. As I have grown my own business and farm I can reflect and see how AFA and the gold nuggets I learned at conference impacted my journey. I'm indebted to AFA for the skills and mindset it had supported me with along the way.

What is one AFA memory, moment or conversation that has stayed with you?

While serving on the AFA SAT I can recall a time we went to meet Crosby Kemper and he shared his vision and why he wanted AFA to be a success. He shared the greatest resource we have is our young people! They just needed some support to find their way. He of course had an entrepreneurial spirit which resonated with me and I just felt blessed to be in the room at the time. I also can recall Crosby reading the Bridge Builder poem at Leaders Conference. He took his responsibility of paying it forward seriously and again that value spoke to my heart and I wanted to be around other who had the servant leadership desire. I also know my interaction with Russ Weathers at the Leaders Conference was just the up lifting comments I needed at the chapter of life I was in. He was relateable and had a way to give respect and push you to the edge of your comfort zone knowing that is where you will grow. He was just very insightful about college, life experiences, building your network and enjoying the process. Russ has become a tremendous mentor and its because he gave me the time when I needed it most.

At the time, what did AFA help you understand about yourself, your leadership style or your place in agriculture?

After my first AFA experience it was like I found my people. Peers that are driven, curious, want to solve the current problem and just excited about the future. The culture of have industry experts at the table sharing the things they wish someone would have shared with thier younger self was so powerful. It also made me realize the leaders I was looking up to that the time are also just human, making mistakes each day and trying to become better. It was an environment I wanted to be around and peers I wanted to learn from.

Was there a person, mentor, peer or industry professional you met through AFA who influenced your path? What impact did they have?

My fellow SAT members really brought a true passion to our gatherings that provided lots of fuel for me. They were navigating the same career choices and that synergy of giving to younger AFA students as well as learning yourself was amazing. Over the history of AFA my friendship with Nancy Barcus as really grown and I'm grateful for her servant leadership for giving to the AFA organization and challenging the organization to be relevant today. Nancy has been a leader of change and it is rewarding to continue to see her work. I also need to share Russ Weathers has grown from an mentor to a life long friend. The 4-H moto says it best - "to make the best better", Russ instills that mindset in his relationships and he was been in my corner for 26+ years. I'm so grateful!!

What skill, mindset or lesson from AFA has been most useful in your professional life?

The AFA network is a resource and as I've grown and evolved so has AFA. I have been engaged in some capacity at AFA since 1998 and leadership is not a roadmap, its a compass and AFA has been my true north. It has helped me refocus when I needed it, it was brought me innovation, it has kept me humble, and it has provided a broader view of agriculture and how every cog of the system is so important. I love AFA because of it future mindset of how to solve the problems of tomorrow to make a better place.

In what ways do you stay connected or involved with AFA in your professional life? Why is that important to you?

ALL of it. I love AFA and happy to assist in any way. I have brought back to community AFA scholarship programs to SW MN and have awarded 60+ scholarships to future ag leaders. I have served on the AFA Alliance board multi years. I am currently an alumni and AFA Board of Directors chairman. Excited to celebrate AFA and its success's.

Seeing the full circle of AFA and how we have helped individuals become better leaders and now seeing those leaders be engaged in their respective communities is so powerful. Mr. Kemper, Mr Weathers and our founding Board would be very proud of what AFA has become. Our current AFA Board is proud of our past and more excited to continue to support young people who are passionate, talented and committed to Agriculture!