2025 Grand President’s Award Winners

FOUR OUTSTANDING BROTHERS WERE SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE 2025 ALPHA GAMMA RHO GRAND PRESIDENT’S AWARD.

Administered and nominated by a selection committee, the Grand President’s Award is given to AGR alumni, age 40 or younger, who have achieved success in their professional careers and made significant contributions to agriculture and Alpha Gamma Rho. The award demonstrates an honorable acknowledgement of the recipient’s exceptional brotherhood, leadership, professionalism and knowledge of his industry. Ben Brown, Lucas Sjostrom, Michael Pisciotta and Tyler Harper were recognized for their achievements during the Leadership Seminars held in February. During their acceptance speeches, they reflected on the opportunities AGR afforded them and the lessons they learned as undergraduates and beyond.

For more information, or to nominate a brother for a future award, visit alphagammarho.org/grandpresidents-award

Ben Brown, KANSAS STATE

Ben Brown was a raised on a family farm near Appleton City, Missouri. He graduated from Kansas State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics with a specialty in Agronomy. As an undergraduate, Ben joined the Alpha Zeta Chapter and served as VNR-Alumni Relations.

Brown received a master’s degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Missouri in 2017. While at Missouri, he was a graduate research assistant with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute helping provide policy analysis used in what would become the 2018 Farm Bill.

After graduating from Missouri, Ben worked as an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in Agricultural Risk Management at Ohio State University. In 2021, Ben moved back to Missouri to serve as an Extension Specialist in Agriculture Business and Policy at Missouri. In this role, Ben works with producers and agribusinesses across the state while teaching an undergraduate course in farm and ranch management. Ben has assisted the Theta Chapter first as interim Adviser and then as a member of the alumni outreach committee.

Lucas Sjostrom, MINNESOTA

Lucas Sjostrom grew up on a dairy farm in southern Minnesota. He graduated with a major in animal science from the University of Minnesota. After joining Lambda Chapter, Sjostrom took positions with Holstein Association USA, Inc., then Hoard’s Dairyman and Dairy Herd Management magazines. In these positions, Lucas traveled to dairy farms in 44 states and the family traveled to over 50 dairy processing plants studying their businesses. Lucas works full-time as managing director for the Voice of Milk, a collection of dairyfocused companies.

With his wife, Alise, and parents-inlaw, Jerry and Linda Jennissen, the family began Redhead Creamery in 2014 and has served hundreds of thousands of customers, added a delivery service to survive the pandemic as a business, and began one of the world’s few distilleries as they focus on agritourism. They own the world’s first whey distillery, with the cheese, whey filtration and alcohol production all under one roof. JerLindy Farms, a partnership of the same four family members, milks about 200 cattle. Lucas and Alise have three young children.

The Grand President’s Award is presented to outstanding Fraternity alumni, age 40 or younger, who have achieved remarkable success in their professional careers and made great contributions to agriculture and Alpha Gamma Rho.

Michael Pisciotta, GEORGIA

Michael Pisciotta is the Founder and President of agricultural consulting firm Poma Ag Group. The firm has grown its’ offerings to leverage expert-level support within the plant biological product space and extensive creativity for ag tech companies that build products to better educate farmers. Prior to launching Poma Ag Group, Michael served as the Director of Agronomy for the southern U.S. at Timac Agro USA. As a Certified Crop Advisor and a 4R Nutrient Management Specialist, Michael is a leading voice on specialty fertilizer products, fertilizer regulation/laws, and biological product positioning for grower success.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Plant Food Educational Society and as a member of The Fertilizer Institute’s Biostimulant Council. Michael has an extensive record of service including the UGA Alpha Gamma Rho Alumni Board, the Agricultural Economics Association of Georgia, and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association. Michael has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He lives in Bishop, Georgia with his wife Amanda and their three children — Noah (8), Mason (6), and Ansley (2).

Tyler Harper, GEORGIA

Tyler J. Harper is a seventh generation farmer, small business owner, former State Senator, and the 17th Agriculture Commissioner of the State of Georgia. Tyler lives in Ocilla, Georgia, and is a lifelong resident of South Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering and has an associate’s degree in Agriculture from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Tyler is an alumnus of the Alpha Eta Chapter and currently serves as its Alumni Board President. He is an active member in his local community and has helped lead organizations across the state from his local rotary club, to the Georgia Young Farmers Association, among numerous others. He is also serving as the past Chair of the Southern Legislative Conference’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. When he isn’t serving the state as Agriculture Commissioner or working on his farm, you can find Tyler enjoying the outdoors, cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs, or at Satilla Baptist Church, where he plays in the band every Sunday.