School of Agriculture

Ag Advisory Board - 2021

Group photo of Ag advisory board members

left to right:

    • Dr. Andy Baker (Director of the School of Agriculture)
    • Don Roppolo ('95 Davey Tree)
    • Kurt Rahe ('87 Burrus Seed)
    • Jeremy Kane ('02 Bayer)
    • Kim Hamilton ('89 Illinois Department of Agriculture)
    • Scott Hall ('93 Calcium Products)
    • Cliff Becker ('83 Farm Journal)
    • Richard "Dick" Horner ('74 Country Financial)
    • Gerry Salzman ('71 Retired Case IH)

      Not pictured:
    • Torie Schwartz ('11 SC Online Sales)
    • Larry Thurow ('77 Retired Instructor Parkland Community College)
    • Randy Bowman ('86 The Maschhoffs)

Ag Advisory Board - 2019

Group photo of Ag advisory board members

left to right:

    • Randy Bowman '86 (The Maschhoffs)
    • Patrick O'Hern '04 (O'Hern Resources/Sugar Creek Investment Management, LLC)
    • Dave Berlet (Birkey's)
    • Taylor Steinberg '67 (Knapheide Manufacturing Co.)
    • Ashley Wall '10 (Illini Central High School)
    • Kim Hamilton '89 (Illinois Department of Agriculture)
    • Mark Dempsey '87 (Farmer and Owner of bigneck Outfitters and RKBA Gun Range)
    • Kurt Rahe '87 (Retired Monsanto)
    • Monte Lowderman '90 (Lowderman Real Estate & Auction Co.,)
    • Dr. Andrew Baker (WIU School of Agriculture Chair)

Not present:

      • Richard Horner '74
      • Don Roppolo '95
      • Larry Thurow '77

Ag Advisory Board - 2017

Group photo of Ag advisory board members

Back row, left to right:

      • Mark Dempsey (Farmer and Owner of bigneck Outfitters and RKBA Gun Range, Fowler, IL)
      • Monte Lowderman, Chair (Lowderman Real Estate & Auction Co., Macomb, Illinois)
      • Patrick O'Hern (O'Hern Resources/Sugar Creek Investment Management, LLC)

Middle row, left to right:

      • Don Roppolo (Davey)
      • Larry Thurow
      • Terry Kestner (Rabo AgriFinance, Cedar Falls, Iowa)

Front row, left to right:

      • Ashley Wall (Archer Daniels Midland Co., Havana/Decatur, IL)
      • Taylor Steinberg (Knapheide Manufacturing Co., Quincy, IL)
      • Kim Bush (Bluestem Creations Garden & Landscape Design)

Not present:

      • Dave Berlet, Vice Chair (Birkey's)
      • Aaron Boysen (Kent Nutrition Group)
      • Phil Bradshaw (Soybean Association)

Ag Advisory Board - 2016

Group photo of Ag advisory board members

Back row, left to right:

      • Dave Berlet (Birkey's, Macomb, Illinois)
      • Ray Bunch (Citizens Bank, Macomb, Illinois)
      • Terry Kestner (Rabo AgriFinance, Cedar Falls, Iowa)
      • Jason Kilburn (Monmouth High School, Monmouth, Illinois)
      • Peggy Drescher (Tree Care Industry Association, Bartlett, Illinois)

Front row, left to right:

      • Ashley Wall (Archer Daniels Midland Co., Havana/Decatur, IL)
      • Taylor Steinberg (Knapheide Manufacturing Co., Quincy, IL)
      • Aaron Boysen (Kent Nutrition Group, Muscatine, Iowa)
      • Mark Dempsey (Farmer and Owner of bigneck Outfitters and RKBA Gun Range, Fowler, IL)

Not present:

    • Phil Bradshaw (Farmer/Soybean Association, Griggsville, Illinois)
    • Heather Hampton-Knodle (Illinois Agri-Women, Fillmore, Illinois)
    • Monte Lowderman (Lowderman Real Estate & Auction Co., Macomb, Illinois)

Ag Advisory Board - 2015

Group photo of Ag advisory board members

Back row, left to right:

  • Trevor Toland (Illinois Beef Association, Springfield, Illinois)
  • Ray Bunch (Citizens Bank, Macomb, Illinois)
  • Jason Kilburn (Monmouth High School, Monmouth, Illinois)
  • Dave Berlet (Birkey's, Macomb, Illinois)

Middle row, left to right:

  • Terry Kestner (Rabo AgriFinance, Cedar Falls, Iowa)
  • Rich Hollis (RaboBank, St. Louis, Missouri)
  • Kevin Foreman (Crop Production Services, Bloomington, Illinois)

Front row, left to right:

  • Monte Lowderman (Lowderman Real Estate & Auction Co., Macomb, Illinois)
  • Phil Bradshaw (Farmer/Soybean Association, Griggsville, Illinois)
  • Steve German (Growmark, Bloomington, Illinois)
  • Peggy Drescher (Tree Care Industry Association, Bartlett, Illinois)

Not present: Heather Hampton-Knodle (Illinois Agri-Women, Fillmore, Illinois)

Five Year Service Recognition

Group photo of Ag advisory board members

Steve German, Rich Hollis, Kevin Foreman and Trevor Toland completed their terms on the board after serving for five years as members.

Back row, left to right:

  • Trevor Toland (Illinois Beef Association, Springfield, Illinois)
  • Dr. Andrew Baker (Director, WIU School of Agriculture)
  • Ray Bunch (Board Co-Chair, Citizens Bank, Macomb, Illinois)
  • Jason Kilburn (Board Co-Chair, Monmouth High School, Monmouth, Illinois)
  • Dr. Kathy Neumann (WIU Interim Provost)

Front row, left to right:

  • Steve German (Growmark, Bloomington, Illinois)
  • Rich Hollis (RaboBank, St. Louis, Missouri)
  • Kevin Foreman (Crop Production Service, Bloomington, Illinois)