Ag alumni program

Agri-Business Club Alumni

Agri-Business Club Alumni 2015 Annual Meeting & Banquet

Saturday, January 24, 2015 The Kewanee Dunes | Kewanee, Illinois

Programs sponsored by:

Schedule of Events Welcome & Invocation Dinner Introductions 2014-2015 Activities & Reports Student Reports Foundation Report Keynote Speaker Class ’90, ’80, ’70 Recognition Special Recognition Awards Election of Officers & Directors Adjournment of Business Meeting Live Auction Raffle

Did you Know?

• The Agriculture Program at BHE started in 1967 and the first graduating class was in 1969 (46 years ago).

• The Agri-Business Club Alumni banquet began on February 2, 1973, with 64 alumni in attendance at the Andris Waunee Farm Restaurant, Kewanee.

• The Agri-Business Club Alumni has 3060 members.

• Mr. Aupperle served as the Executive Secretary of the ABCA for 37 years.

• There is a Sustaining Life Membership program where Life Members at any time may send any amount to help financially support the Agriculture Programs.

The categories are:

$1,000-President’s Club Member

$750-Benefactor $500-Patron $250-Sponsor $100-Supporting member $50-Sustaining Member $25-Donor

You may make a contribution: In honor of _______ or in memory of _______. Currently, we have 229 Life members and 37 Sustaining Life members.

Aupperle Recognition Fund The Aupperle Recognition Fund was established in 1988. Monies collected were to be used to help fund international experiences for Black Hawk College Agriculture students. Only the interest was to be used for projects established and approved by the ABCA. A minimum of $200.00 and a maximum of $500.00 was to be given to any one recipient. In 1994 the Board voted to change the guidelines to include students studying agriculture at BHE and Ants Puusta of Estonia became the first recipient of this fund that year in the amount of $208.00. Since then there has been very little funding for international studies and a new purpose for the fund is being considered. As of 2014, $15,934.43 has been received and/or earned through investments. On September 9, 2014, $10,000 was transferred to the Black Hawk College East Campus Foundation for the purpose of establishing an Agri-Business Club Alumni Eldon R “Bud” Aupperle Recognition Scholarship Fund award.

Agri-Business Club Future Alumnus Scholarship The Future Alumnus Scholarship has been established (2014) to award a student a $500 scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to an individual that is currently involved with the AgriBusiness Club and must be able to attend the Alumni Banquet unless they are at a school function.

Criteria • Applicant must be an active member of the ABC.

• Must have a 3.0 or higher GPA.

• Preference will be given to individuals who are involved in extracurricular/team activities.

• Must attach a 500 word essay titled “Why Black Hawk” telling us why they chose Black Hawk College.

• Must attach a resume.

Outstanding Ag Alumni Year of Award 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Alumni James Jacobs Phillip Koch Steve Spivey Charles Ashley Dave Rylander Jeff Galle Robbi Pritchard Doug Baird Allen Hyett Dean Craine Ronald Minnaert Philip Shane William Johnson Grant Grebner Marion Calmer Dave Sherrard Roger Carr Ken Geuns Chuck Anderson Julie Voge Tom Koch Duane Olson Jack Ward Bill LeSage Marcy Heepke Jodee Werkheiser Sue Schafer Mark Gordon Andy Rash Jennifer Shike

Class of 1969 1973 1975 1976 1977 1976 1975 1974 1979 1982 1976 1971 1985 1984 1978 1972 1980 1974 1975 1994 1980 1982 1984 1994 1995 1984 1994 1983 2000 1998

Jennifer (Hotchkiss) Shike grew up showing horses and livestock in Washington County, Iowa, and later discovered a logical passion for judging.

Through 4-H and FFA, she achieved success as both a livestock and horse judge at the state and national level, resulting in an international trip to Europe to compete in the Royal Highland Show Judging Contest in Scotland.

She graduated from high school in 1996 and began classes at Black Hawk College East Campus in the fall. She quickly became an active member of both the livestock and horse judging teams and competed at NACTA in several competitions. She served as the president of the Ag Business Club and as vice president of Phi Theta Kappa. In addition to a successful career judging, she believes the friendships and relationships she developed at Black Hawk have led to some of the greatest opportunities of her life.

She went on to attend Kansas State University and majored in animal sciences and industry and agricultural journalism and communications. She was a member of a winning livestock judging team and horse judging team while in Manhattan. She was the first female to win the coveted Bell Award for the most outstanding livestock judge in 2000.

After graduating from K-State, she served as the National Swine Registry’s Director of Junior Activities where she developed the National Junior Swine Association from an idea into the fastest growing youth livestock organization in the United States with nearly 12,000 members. She was responsible for organizing shows, implementing scholarship programs, and creating leadership conferences and mentoring programs.

Today, she is the director for communications and marketing in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental

Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois. She is responsible for facilitating the development of communications and marketing strategies, managing the college’s branding strategy, and serving as editor of the college’s magazine, ACES@Illinois. In 2013, she received the University of Illinois Innovation in Marketing Award.

She also serves as the Illini Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow advisor and organizes professional development opportunities for students through her involvement in the Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the American Agricultural Editors Association (AAEA). In addition, she serves on the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association’s Board of Directors and LPC’s Board of Directors.

She has recently been honored with LPC’s Ed Bible Distinguished Service Award and AAEA’s Andy Markwart Horizon Award. She has been instrumental in organizing the BHE Livestock Judging Alumni Organization and annual reunion. She has also served as a past member of the Black Hawk College East Campus Ag Business Club Alumni Board of Directors and the Dan Hoge Wall of Fame Committee.

She, and her husband, Dr. Dan Shike, live in Sadorus, Illinois, with their 8-year-old daughter Olivia; 6-year-old son Hunter; and 1-year-old daughter Harper. They enjoy spending time together as a family – whether they are showing pigs, attending wrestling meets, riding horses, or going to dance recitals.

Friends of the Alumni Award This award was initiated in 2010 to recognize individuals who are not Alumni members but have made a significant contribution to the BHE Agriculture Program benefiting both current and future students. Previous winners include: Dave Clark (2011), Deanna Hoge (2012), Liz Breedlove (2013), and Kelly Craig (2014).

2014-2015 ABCA Board of Directors Kindra Callahan............................................................................... Chair Andrew Bergeson................... Vice-Chair, Public Relations Committee Kimberly Stevens.................................... Secretary, Banquet Committee Renee Crabtree......................................... Treasurer, Grants Committee Tammy Pelz....................................................Banquet Committee Chair Nikki Klein...................................................Public Relations Committee Bill LeSage....................................................Public Relations Committee Ryan Butler........................................................Grants Committee Chair Brooke Byers.........................................................Public Relations Chair Courtney Smith........................................................Banquet Committee Andy Rash.................................................................Banquet Committee Doug Nelson................................................................Grants Committee Jon Pittard.....................................................................Grants Committee Lee Denzer.................................................Associate Executive Secretary Jon Wolf......................................................................Executive Secretary

YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! Black Hawk College East Campus Agriculture Program would not be where it is today without supporters like you. The proceeds from tonight’s event help to make a difference in the lives of our students and faculty. The funds are available for events and resources that help make our students the leaders of tomorrow.

In Fiscal Year 2014 the ABCA approved faculty/department requests for a new scan tool for the Ag Mechanics Program, two new video cameras for the Equine Programs, and sponsored the end of the year Ag Recognition Banquet. This fall the board of Directors voted to give $5,000 toward FY15 approved requests.

To date we have purchased 11 recruiting shirts for the Ag Ambassadors to wear while giving colleges tours to prospective Ag students and at other recruiting events such as the FFA Conventions, horse/livestock fairs, and college open houses. We also contributed toward the expense of the Fall Work Experience Banquet in mid-December (eliminating the need for students to pay) and anticipate multiple requests this spring for both equipment needs and event sponsorship.

Thank you for attending this year’s Banquet!

Please mark your calendars for our 1st Annual ABCA Golf Outing, May 30, 2015 right here at The Kewanee Dunes!

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