OABA Staff

Job Duties: At the helm, Chris is in charge of the vision, mission and strategy of OABA, along with association governance, public policy, government relations, and membership and industry relations.

Education: BS, Agriculture, The Ohio Stateu University; MBA, Capital University

Christopher Henney, CAE President & CEO

chenney@oaba.net

Hire Date: May 2011

Work History: Chris joined the Ohio AgriBusiness Association in May 2011 as the president and chief executive officer. Prior to joining OABA, Chris held several positions at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, including director of legislative relations. In that capacity, he represented the organization before the Ohio

Aaron Heilers, CCA

Director

of Nutrient Management & Agricultural Policy

aheilers@oaba.netHire

Date: August 2022

Job Duties: Aaron handles all aspects of the association’s water quality, nutrient management and sustainability efforts. Aaron also serves as the Executive Director of the Nutrient Stewardship Council.

Education: BS, Agriculture and Agribusiness, The Ohio State University, 2006

Work History: Previously, Aaron was the project manager for the Blanchard River Watershed Demonstration Farms Network, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation designed to showcase and demonstrate conservation practices that improve agriculture’s impact on downstream water quality in Ohio. He was also employed with the Auglaize Soil and Water Conservation District as a nutrient management technician and the Miami Soil and Water Conservation District as a drainage technician.

General Assembly, as well as agencies and departments of state government.

About Chris: Chris currently serves on the Vice President’s Advisory Council for The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and the 1890 Land Grant Advisory Council at Central State University. He is the past chair of the Ohio Society of Association Professionals board of directors, serves as president of the Ohio Agricultural Council executive committee and the Asmark Institute Board of Directors. He and his wife, Beth, reside in Columbus, Ohio with their two boys, Aidan and Patrick.

Aaron has been active in the Ohio Farm Bureau at the county, state and national levels and currently serves on the board of the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association.

About Aaron: He and his wife, Sarah, have a grain farm in Shelby County as well as a winegrape vineyard. They have four young boys, Will, Eli, Luke and Zeke.