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FARMHOUSE FOUNDATION

HELPING MEMBERS
ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE

FOUNDATION

GIVING

IMPACT

The FarmHouse Foundation works diligently to cultivate donor passion and support to advance FarmHouse Fraternity’s mission and help members achieve excellence.

The FarmHouse Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public educational foundation, organized in 1965 as a Trust, to support the Fraternity and its high standards of scholarship, character, personal growth, unity and leadership among members of FarmHouse Fraternity. Through our Board of Trustees and staff, approach this mission in a variety of ways, and we invite you to explore the Foundation pages to learn about giving opportunities, events, educational grants we award and why giving to FarmHouse matters.

The funds entrusted to the Foundation are used for educational grants and scholarships including assistance to students based on financial need and merit, study abroad opportunities, values-based leadership programs, educational initiatives, as well as loans and grants to improve housing and living/learning environments for members of the Fraternity.

The Foundation, through its Board of Trustees and Staff, over sees fundraising efforts and administers grants and finances of the Foundation for the benefit of members of the Fraternity. We make this process as easy as possible for donors and share the ways in which this funding is impacting the lives of our members every day.

Explore ways to give

FarmHouse has had a greater impact on my life than any other organization and I want other young men to have the same opportunities I did.

— Ryan Downs
(Nebraska 88)

WAYS TO GIVE

Your support matters.

The best way to be a part of our mission is to invest in the FarmHouse Foundation with your financial gifts. Your support benefits 1,665 undergraduate FarmHouse men on 35 campuses across North America. For more information on opportunities to give and the impact your gift can have, follow the links below.

Impact
Ways to Give
give now

PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Each fiscal year, donors invest in FarmHouse undergraduates across North America through the FarmHouse Foundation.

In turn, we award educational grants for leadership training, research, mentoring, career preparedness, academic scholarships, chapter housing, study abroad opportunities and more. We also help the Fraternity organize and fund values-based educational programs, events and learning opportunities for our members to grow in leadership and purpose. Because of these investments, today’s undergraduates are able to be better equipped with the tools, resources, mentoring and guidance they need for a lifetime of success. Learn more about those educational programs below.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Investing in our members.

One of the most tangible and rewarding initiatives of the FarmHouse Foundation is our scholarship program. We offer international and local scholarship opportunities, based on merit and financial need, to support FarmHouse young men.

SCHOLARSHIPS

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Creating leaders for life.

It is our goal to provide the financial resources to sustain and grow the funding for important educational programs and learning opportunities for FarmHouse members, such as the FH Leadership Institute, the Power of 7 Seminar, Conclave, Emerging Talent Retreat and the Fraternity’s chapter consultation program.

Leadership and Education
Foundation
Staff
Board of
trustees
Plan my
Legacy
Ruby
Society

LATEST FOUNDATION NEWS

Ryan Laughlin Added to FarmHouse Staff

KANSAS CITY, MO. — FarmHouse has hired Ryan Laughlin to serve as the Assistant Director of Education and Leadership. “Ryan brings valuable experience on a campus and has worked previously...

READ MORE →

Awardees Honored At 51st Biennial Conclave

Awardees Honored At 51st Biennial Conclave August 17, 2022 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. — During the 51st Biennial Conclave held July 21-23 in Oklahoma City, Okla., FarmHouse International Fraternity recognized several...

READ MORE →

About the Foundation

FARMHOUSE FOUNDATION

HELPING MEMBERS
ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE

FOUNDATION

GIVING

IMPACT

The FarmHouse Foundation works diligently to cultivate donor passion and support to advance FarmHouse Fraternity’s mission and help members achieve excellence.

The FarmHouse Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public educational foundation, organized in 1965 as a Trust, to support the Fraternity and its high standards of scholarship, character, personal growth, unity and leadership among members of FarmHouse Fraternity. Through our Board of Trustees and staff, approach this mission in a variety of ways, and we invite you to explore the Foundation pages to learn about giving opportunities, events, educational grants we award and why giving to FarmHouse matters.

The funds entrusted to the Foundation are used for educational grants and scholarships including assistance to students based on financial need and merit, study abroad opportunities, values-based leadership programs, educational initiatives, as well as loans and grants to improve housing and living/learning environments for members of the Fraternity.

The Foundation, through its Board of Trustees and Staff, over sees fundraising efforts and administers grants and finances of the Foundation for the benefit of members of the Fraternity. We make this process as easy as possible for donors and share the ways in which this funding is impacting the lives of our members every day.

Explore ways to give

FarmHouse has had a greater impact on my life than any other organization and I want other young men to have the same opportunities I did.

— Ryan Downs
(Nebraska 88)

WAYS TO GIVE

Your support matters.

The best way to be a part of our mission is to invest in the FarmHouse Foundation with your financial gifts. Your support benefits 1,665 undergraduate FarmHouse men on 35 campuses across North America. For more information on opportunities to give and the impact your gift can have, follow the links below.

Impact
Ways to Give
give now

PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Each fiscal year, donors invest in FarmHouse undergraduates across North America through the FarmHouse Foundation.

In turn, we award educational grants for leadership training, research, mentoring, career preparedness, academic scholarships, chapter housing, study abroad opportunities and more. We also help the Fraternity organize and fund values-based educational programs, events and learning opportunities for our members to grow in leadership and purpose. Because of these investments, today’s undergraduates are able to be better equipped with the tools, resources, mentoring and guidance they need for a lifetime of success. Learn more about those educational programs below.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Investing in our members.

One of the most tangible and rewarding initiatives of the FarmHouse Foundation is our scholarship program. We offer international and local scholarship opportunities, based on merit and financial need, to support FarmHouse young men.

SCHOLARSHIPS

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Creating leaders for life.

It is our goal to provide the financial resources to sustain and grow the funding for important educational programs and learning opportunities for FarmHouse members, such as the FH Leadership Institute, the Power of 7 Seminar, Conclave, Emerging Talent Retreat and the Fraternity’s chapter consultation program.

Leadership and Education
Foundation
Staff
Board of
trustees
Plan my
Legacy
Ruby
Society

LATEST FOUNDATION NEWS

Ryan Laughlin Added to FarmHouse Staff

KANSAS CITY, MO. — FarmHouse has hired Ryan Laughlin to serve as the Assistant Director of Education and Leadership. “Ryan brings valuable experience on a campus and has worked previously...

READ MORE →

Awardees Honored At 51st Biennial Conclave

Awardees Honored At 51st Biennial Conclave August 17, 2022 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. — During the 51st Biennial Conclave held July 21-23 in Oklahoma City, Okla., FarmHouse International Fraternity recognized several...

READ MORE →
Brian Woolley

Brian Woolley

Envelope-open-text

Iowa State 75


Attorney & Partner — Lathrop GPM LLP

Brian is a partner in the law firm of Lathrop GPM LLP, working in their Kansas City office. He is a member of the firm’s labor, employment and higher education practice group. Brian advises employers on compliance issues relating to labor and employment laws and defends employers in contested matters. He assists public and private companies in many industries including manufacturing, professional services and health care as well as several non-profit organizations.

He is a frequent speaker on human resources law topics at seminars and client training programs, and serves as a contributing editor to the legal treatise “The Developing Labor Law”.

Brian received undergraduate degrees in food technology and business administration from Iowa State University and his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago.

Previously, he served on the board of Wonderscope: the Kansas City Children’s Museum (including 5 years as president) and on the board of the Arthritis Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Currently, Brian is co-chair of the steering committee for the Heartland Labor and Employment Law Institute, a program of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

He became a Foundation Trustee in December 2019. Brian and his wife, Patricia Martin, live in Kansas City, Mo. They have two adult children, Meredith and Philip.

Scott Nagel

Scott Nagel

Chairman

Minnesota 85


President — ADM-Benson Quinn

Scott is president of ADM-Benson Quinn. He graduated from the University of Minnesota-St. Paul with a degree in agricultural economics. After graduation, he started his career with Benson-Quinn Company in Owatonna, Minn. He later transferred to Minneapolis, Minn., where he held positions in grain accounting, wheat merchandising and freight trading.

He has worked on both the trading side of the business in both grains and freight, and subsequently began working with Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) in 1997 with ADM’s purchase of Benson-Quinn Co. Scott has served as president of ADM-Benson Quinn since January 2008. Additional responsibilities include commodity brokerage, elevator financing, elevator management and wholesale and retail fertilizer distribution. Their office manages the northern region of the United States as well as portions of Canada of Ag Services & Oilseeds division within ADM for both grain and North America for fertilizer activities.

Scott became a Foundation Trustee in 2018 and currently serves as Chairman. He held board responsibilities for the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. He serves on several joint venture boards within the Benson Quinn business unit structure and Pacificor JV, a grain export terminal in the Pacific Northwest.

Scott and his wife, Jean, live in Maple Grove, Minn., and they have two grown children, Andrew and Emily.

Corby Fichter

Director

Iowa State 78

Shenandoah, IA Regional V.P. of Southwest Iowa, Farm Credit Services of America

Corby is Regional Vice President of Business Development for Farm Credit Services of America for southwest Iowa with offices in Red Oak, Harlan and Carroll. After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in agriculture business, Corby began working as a loan officer with Federal Land Bank Association in 1980 in Forest City, Iowa. Federal Land Bank Association became a part of Farm Credit Services of America in which Corby has held various roles for over 40 years. He also manages and operates an 1,800-acre farm near Randolph, Iowa. He serves as President of the Shenandoah Iowa Education Foundation. In 2020, Corby was honored as Iowa State University’s Outstanding Ag Business Alumni of the Year.

Corby and his wife, Jean, have been married for over 40 years and live in Shenandoah, Iowa. Jean graduated with a degree in home economics education from Iowa State University, where she was a FarmHouse sister. She worked for Principal Financial Group for a decade before raising their three children. During that time, she was heavily involved in church and homeschool activities. In 2017, Jean was elected to the Shenandoah Community School Board of Directors, where she has served as president for four years. She also volunteers in their community and helps care for their granddaughter.

Corby and Jean have three grown children, Austin (Iowa State 12), Adam (Iowa State 12) and Heidi. Corby’s father, the late A. Corby Fichter, Jr. (Iowa State 50) and Heidi’s husband, Chris Mandt (Iowa State 15), are also FarmHouse members. Austin was a student attendee at the 2015 Power of 7 Seminar. Austin and his wife, Jourdan, and their daughter live in Gretna, Nebraska; Adam and his wife Marissa and their 2 daughters live in Ames, IA., and Heidi and Chris live in Clive, Iowa. The Fichter family was honored with Iowa State University’s Family of the Year Award in 2020, an honor that is given to a family that shows a strong connection and pride for the University.

Eric Bymaster

President

Purdue 90


Nashville, TN
Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance, Vanderbilt University

Eric serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance at Vanderbilt University. Eric’s responsibilities include treasury, debt and cash management, financial planning and analysis, developing the annual university budget, the university’s capital plan, overseeing athletics finance and the finances of the 10 academic schools, and the vice-chancellors’ financial operations. Prior to Vanderbilt, Eric spent 15 years at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. His most recent position was Associate Vice President for Finance & Operations in the Division of Campus Life. Before Emory, Eric spent seven years at Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation, in West Lafayette, Ind. in a variety of roles including managing commercial and residential real estate as well as serving as a business and contracting officer in the School of Engineering and School of Agriculture.

Eric received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management and earned a master’s degree in higher education administration also from Purdue University. He joined the Fraternity Board at the 2018 Conclave and serves as vice president. Eric also serves on the board for Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. He lives in Nashville, Tenn.

Brian Fenimore

Director

Missouri 85


Kansas City, MO
Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Missouri

Brian graduated from the University of Missouri in 1988 with a degree in Agricultural Economics and received a JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 1990. Brian became an active FarmHouse member on April 21, 1985, and served as Social Chairman and President of FarmHouse while at Mizzou. Brian was appointed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to become a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Missouri on August 31, 2017. Brian previously led the bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice at Lathrop Gage LLP (now LathropGPM) for more than 20 years, appeared in cases throughout the United States, and served on the firm’s Executive Committee for several years. Brian became the Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Missouri on January 1, 2020, and recently presented a program on Chapter 12 Farm Bankruptcies to all U.S. Bankruptcy Judges.

Brian and his wife, Lorna, both grew up on farms in northwest Missouri and currently live in Kansas City, Missouri. They have two children—Rachel (completing her residency in family medicine) and Will (a StuMo campus minister at Mizzou).

corby-crop

Corby Fichter

Director

Iowa State 78


Shenandoah, IA
Regional V.P. of Southwest Iowa, Farm Credit Services of America

Corby is Regional Vice President of Business Development for Farm Credit Services of America for southwest Iowa with offices in Red Oak, Harlan and Carroll. After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in agriculture business, Corby began working as a loan officer with Federal Land Bank Association in 1980 in Forest City, Iowa. Federal Land Bank Association became a part of Farm Credit Services of America in which Corby has held various roles for over 40 years. He also manages and operates an 1,800-acre farm near Randolph, Iowa. He serves as President of the Shenandoah Iowa Education Foundation. In 2020, Corby was honored as Iowa State University’s Outstanding Ag Business Alumni of the Year.

Corby and his wife, Jean, have been married for over 40 years and live in Shenandoah, Iowa. Jean graduated with a degree in home economics education from Iowa State University, where she was a FarmHouse sister. She worked for Principal Financial Group for a decade before raising their three children. During that time, she was heavily involved in church and homeschool activities. In 2017, Jean was elected to the Shenandoah Community School Board of Directors, where she has served as president for four years. She also volunteers in their community and helps care for their granddaughter.

Corby and Jean have three grown children, Austin (Iowa State 12), Adam (Iowa State 12) and Heidi. Corby’s father, the late A. Corby Fichter, Jr. (Iowa State 50) and Heidi’s husband, Chris Mandt (Iowa State 15), are also FarmHouse members. Austin was a student attendee at the 2015 Power of 7 Seminar. Austin and his wife, Jourdan, and their daughter live in Gretna, Nebraska; Adam and his wife Marissa and their 2 daughters live in Ames, IA., and Heidi and Chris live in Clive, Iowa. The Fichter family was honored with Iowa State University’s Family of the Year Award in 2020, an honor that is given to a family that shows a strong connection and pride for the University.

John Foltz

Director

Ohio State 79


Columbus, OH
Chair, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

John has been Interim Associate Director of the Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute, in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Science at the Ohio State University (OSU) since fall, 2021. He previously served as Chair of the Department of Animal Sciences at OSU from 2017-21. Prior to his service at Ohio State he served as Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Initiatives at the University of Idaho and had previously served there as Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences for four years and as Associate Dean for Academic Programs for eight years.

Professor Foltz received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics from Ohio State University. Foltz worked for six years as a district manager for Ralston Purina in Ohio and Pennsylvania marketing livestock feed and animal health products. Subsequently, he received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Purdue University and was at the University of Idaho for 26 years. As an undergraduate at Ohio State, he was a member of Alpha Zeta Fraternity, now FarmHouse Fraternity at Ohio State. John and his wife Barbara have two sons — John (Ohio State 02) and James (Idaho 07).

Greg Ibach

Director

Nebraska 81


Sumner, NE
Under Secretary in Residence, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Greg is the Under Secretary-in-Residence at the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. During the Trump Administration, Greg served as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Prior to joining USDA, Greg led Nebraska’s Department of Agriculture for 13 years, making him the longest serving director in the organization’s history. Greg served as president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He is an inductee of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement and honored with the Service to Agriculture Recognition from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Greg earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska. He and his wife, Teresa, have three grown children, Evan (Nebraska 11), Alec (Nebraska 11) and Emily. With the help of his family, he and Teresa continue to maintain a cow/calf and grain operation near Sumner, Neb.

Steve Robisky

Director

Illinois State 83


Cedar Falls, IA
Owner and Operator, Robisky Farms and Northfork Kennels

Steve owns and operates Northfork Kennels with his wife, Michele. They are a licensed kennel raising German Shorthaired Pointers and Miniature Schnauzers as well as boarding and training for all breeds. He recently retired from John Deere in November 2021 after a 31-year career with the company.

In addition, they own and operate Robisky Farms, approximately 700 acres of farmland. Steve is a conservationist who devotes his time and effort to managing his property and others for the enhancement of wildlife, clean water, and clean air. He also does a fair amount of custom prairie and USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) maintenance for others.

He is an avid upland bird hunter who can frequently be found chasing his German Shorthairs over the prairie in the fall. He’s a lifetime member, officer, and inductee of Pheasants Forever Hall of Fame.

His wife is a Director of Financial Reporting for TransAmerican Life Insurance and has been with TransAmerican for more 25 years. Together, they have three daughters, Anna, a 2021 Iowa State graduate who works for John Deere in Supply Management and is an NFL Cheerleader with the Tennessee Titans; Aimee a senior in the School of Design at Iowa State University; and Marissa an incoming freshman in the School of Engineering at Iowa State University.

Judson Ricks

Treasurer

Troy 07


Montgomery, AL
Controller at High Level Marketing

Judson is the Controller for High Level Marketing, a national digital marketing agency recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies in the nation by Inc 5000. Prior to his current role, Judson spent time in public accounting, specializing in Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting for Jackson Thornton and Co., a public accounting firm in Montgomery, Alabama.

Judson graduated with his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration in 2011, and in 2012 completed his Masters of Business Administration with a focus in Accounting. During his time as an undergraduate member, Judson served in the executive leadership roles of Secretary and President. Judson was selected as FarmHouse International Outstanding Chapter President of the Year after helping the Troy Chapter capture its first Ruby Cup in 2009. He was also the recipient of the Chapter’s Doane Award and was chosen as the Order of Omega Greek Man of the Year in 2010. Judson was elected to the International Executive Board in 2016, where he currently serves as Treasurer.

Judson and his wife, Robin, and daughters, Evelyn and Alice, reside in Montgomery, Alabama.

Joe Stephens

Vice President

Missouri 93


Austin, TX
Senior Assistant Dean and Director over the Working Professional and Executive MBA Programs at the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas – Austin

Joe serves as the Senior Assistant Dean and Director for the Working Professional and Executive MBA Programs at the McCombs School of Business for the University of Texas in Austin. He has worked in this role since 2014.

After 18 years growing up on the family farm, Joe graduated with a degree in Agricultural Education – Business/Industry in 1996. He went on to earn an M.A. in College Student Personnel at Bowling Green State University in 1998 and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. As an undergraduate, Joe served on the Mizzou IFC, Greek Week and RAMS Steering Committees, and was selected as Outstanding Greek Man and Mizzou’s Most Outstanding Senior. He worked for FarmHouse International Fraternity as the Director of Expansion and Growth from 1999-2001.

Joe has spent the majority of his professional career devoted to higher education, with a stint in Brand Management at Nestle Purina. Prior to Texas McCombs, Joe served in assistant director and director roles at Washington University in St. Louis and at Mizzou as Assistant Dean of MBA Programs in the Trulaske College of Business. Joe, his wife Cheryl and two daughters live in Austin, Texas.

Eric Thurber

Eric Thurber

Chairman-Elect

Nebraska 89


Co-Founder & Managing Director — Three Bridge Wealth Advisors

Eric is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Three Bridge Wealth Advisors, an independent investment firm located in Silicon Valley providing comprehensive wealth advisory services to first generation wealth creators – entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a bachelor of science in economics, magna cum laude, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Eric holds a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from Wharton Business School. He also serves as an associate at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and has trained in Stanford University’s Executive Education Program.

He started working on Wall Street in Solomon Brother’s sales and trading program in New York City. He has served as a financial advisor to wealthy families since 1995, when he began his career at Montgomery Securities in the private client department. In 1998, he joined Salomon Smith Barney, where he founded and built The Venture Group. Before founding Three Bridge, he was a Senior Wealth Director and Senior Vice President at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.

Before Citi’s merger with Morgan Stanley, he was a Senior Wealth Director at Citi Family Office, a division of Citigroup serving the wealthiest and most sophisticated clients of the firm. An industry and thought leader, Eric is a member of the inaugural JP Morgan RIA Advisory Council, and a member of Institutional Investors RIA Investment Forum Advisory Board. He has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Registered Rep Magazine, Investment and Wealth Monitor, and has been interviewed on The Wall Street Journal Radio Network. He and his wife, Deepa, live in Palm Desert, California.

Dick Wittman

Dick Wittman

Governance Chair

Idaho 68


Principal — Wittman Farms & Consulting

Dick is board chairman and retired manager of Wittman Farms, a 20,000-acre dry land crop, range cattle and timber operation in northern Idaho. After degrees from the University of Idaho and M.B.A. from the University of Utah, Dick worked for the Farm Credit System in the Pacific Northwest and Washington, D.C. In 1980, he joined the family farm in Idaho and established a private consulting practice focusing on financial management, family business governance, process improvement, business succession planning, and more recently consultant training.

He has served on several industry, community and bank boards. He is a founding director and past president of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association, and has served since 2007 on EDF’s farm advisors group. He is a director and past president of the Farm Financial Standards Council. He has authored numerous articles for farm magazines, has served on the faculty for the TEPAP Ag Executive Program since 2003, and is an adjunct faculty member of Texas A&M University. He is on the board of advisors for the Farm Journal Legacy Institute. He became a Foundation Trustee in 2016 and serves as Governance Chair.

Dick and his wife, Dawn, a retired Lewiston city library director, have five adult children and live in Culdesac, Idaho. The Wittman Family helps sponsor an Outdoor Education Camp located on their farm that gives hundreds of students, teachers and natural resource professionals exposure annually to key natural resource concepts.

Rick Berg

Rick Berg

North Dakota State 78


Partner — Midwest Management Co.
Former United States Congressman

Rick is president of Berg Group, LLC, which focuses on providing capital and financing for commercial real estate partnerships. His career started in 1981 as a partner in Midwest Management Co., a start-up multi-family management company. In 1987, he started Goldmark Commercial Corporation, a brokerage company focused on commercial real estate investment including office, retail, warehouse and multi-family.

Rick served in the North Dakota Legislature for 26 years as Speaker of the House, Majority Leader, Caucus Chairman and Chairman of the Business Committee. In 2010, he was elected to the US House of Representatives where he served on the House Ways and Means Committee with a focus on taxation and budget. In 2012, he ran for the US Senate.

Rick served on the Fraternity’s International Executive Board from 1986-94, including two terms as President. He also served on the FarmHouse Foundation Board of Trustees from 1994-2000. He was named a Master Builder of Men in 2012.

Rick, his wife Tracy and son Jack (22 years old) reside in Fargo, N.D.

Lloyd Bettis

Lloyd Bettis

Fundraising Chair

Iowa State 67


Retired Chairman/CEO — National Bureau of Property Administration, Inc.

Lloyd is retired chairman and CEO of the National Bureau of Property Administration, Inc., a tax consulting company. He graduated from Iowa State University in agricultural journalism and earned an M.B.A in accounting and finance from the University of Chicago.

Over the first 20 years of his career, he gained broad management experience at four different public companies: The Jewel Companies in Chicago, Denver, and San Diego; The Northern Trust Bank in Chicago; the First National Bank of Chicago, and ConAgra in Greeley, Co. In 1989, he returned to Chicago with the goal of acquiring a business, which led him to the National Bureau of Property Administration, a tax consulting company started in 1935. The business focused on ad valorem taxes for large corporate industrial clients throughout the U.S. He initiated and led the purchase of this business, along with other key staff. He served as Chairman/CEO until he retired at the end of 2015.

Lloyd and his wife, Kathryn, are Iowa State University Foundation Governors and served on the Foundation’s campaign committee coordinating Forever True, For Iowa State, an eight-year $1.5 billion campaign. Lloyd served as chair of the investment committee and chair of the ISUF board of directors. He joined the FarmHouse Foundation Board of Trustees in 2018 and serves as fundraising chair. Lloyd and Kathryn split their time between Naples, Fla. and Glenview, Ill. They have one married son, Chris, in Moline, Ill.

Bryce Freeman 2018.2 (2) (1)

Bryce Freeman

Iowa State 93


Global HR Senior Director — McCormick & Co.

Bryce serves as a supply chain and human resources executive for McCormick & Co., working to save the world from boring food. Bryce graduated from Iowa State University in 1996 in chemical engineering. He worked for Procter & Gamble for 17 years in manufacturing roles of increasing responsibility, including a plant manager role in Ireland and leading P&G’s contract manufacturing network of 70 plants in the U.S. and Canada.

Bryce feels very fortunate to be active in FarmHouse. He served on the Iowa State FH Association Board, including a term as chair, and served for eight years on the FH International Executive Board including four years as President. He joined the FarmHouse Foundation Board of Trustees in April 2022. FarmHouse is one of the biggest positive influences on Bryce’s life and he treasures the lifelong friendships and leadership influences from his fraternity experience. Bryce believes that “progress shall mark our every step” and makes a lot of steps as an active marathoner and triathlete.

Bryce lives in Columbia, Md., with his wife, Marisa Pace, who is a U.S. Army Colonel currently leading the University of Maryland ROTC program, and with their busy college student, Bennett, and high schooler, Clara.

Gary Hansen

Gary Hansen

South Dakota State 72


Attorney, Arbitrator and Retired Risk Manager

Gary is a retired risk management professional and a commercial arbitrator. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and political science; the Graduate School of Banking, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul. Gary is active in the Minnesota State Bar Association as an Agricultural & Rural Law Section Council member and legislative liaison.

Gary is serving his fourth term on the Eagan, Minnesota City Council. He is also secretary-treasurer of the Eagan Economic Development Authority and represents Eagan on numerous regional boards, including the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Suburban Transit Association, and the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council’s Transportation Advisory Board.

Gary is a past president of the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities (Metro Cities). He is a Mitchell Hamline School of Law Alumni Board member and a charter member of the Eagan Kick-Start Rotary Club. While at South Dakota State, Gary was active in student government and served as chapter president and associate editor of Pearls & Rubies. He was a Doane Award recipient in 1974. He is a past director and officer of the Minnesota FarmHouse Association.

Gary and his wife Kathy have two daughters, Andrea Murphy and Kelly Darwitz; sons-in-law Daniel Murphy and Ryan Darwitz; a son, Tim, and four granddaughters.

Craig Harris

Craig Harris

Iowa State 65


Certified General Appraiser — Peoples Company

Craig lives in Shenandoah, Iowa, with his wife, Kathy, and have two children, Shannon and Chad (IA 98). Upon completing his degree, Craig spent 10 years as a pilot with the United States Air Force. He served four years in the Vietnam War piloting C-141 aircrafts out of McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Wash. He remained a member of the Air Reserves for three more years. Craig then earned a master’s degree in agriculture economics and began his 40-plus year career in farm management and appraisal.

He first joined The Sandage Company as a farm manager and real estate agent. During this time, he served as a member of the Iowa FH Association Board and became involved with the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, an association founded by FarmHouse Founder, D. Howard Doane (MO 05). He also spent time working with Gibson Farms, Inc.

In 1991, Craig entered into a new career in farm management and appraisals. He joined the Farmers National Company, then Farm Credit Services of America in 2001, and finally with Peoples Company, his current employer, in 2020, after a short retirement. During his tenure, he worked with the USDA and USAID to lead negotiations with the Czech and Slovak Republics to establish laws, policies and regulations in the former Communist countries.

Craig was named a FH Master Builder in 2020. He served on the Fraternity’s International Executive Board from 2000-2006 and became a Foundation Trustee in December 2020. Craig has served on the First United Methodist Church of Shenandoah Board of Trustees, the Shenandoah Medical Center Foundation Board, Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association Board of Directors as well as other local organizations. Craig and Kathy, recently celebrated 52 years of marriage and are lifelong supporters of Iowa State University.

Havens

Darren Havens

Illinois 92


Director of Marketing, Global Turf & Compact Utility — John Deere

In his current role, Darren is the Director, Marketing for John Deere’s Global Turf and Compact Utility business. Over his 27-year career with John Deere, Darren has held a number Sales, Marketing, and Business Development responsibilities, leading several growth initiatives including the expansion of John Deere’s Precision Ag Business and Dealer capabilities.

During his time with John Deere, Darren has lived in 6 states, internationally in Singapore, and has traveled extensively, helping him better understand customer needs and opportunities to deliver innovative products/solutions for global markets.

Darren grew up on a 6th generation family farm near Bushnell, Illinois. FarmHouse played an important role in the transition from a small town to the University of Illinois, while also building lifelong friends. While at FarmHouse, Darren served as Treasurer and President, helping to hone his leadership skills that have continued to benefit him throughout his career at John Deere.

Darren is a 1995 Graduate of the University of Illinois, with a degree in agriculture economics. He received an EMBA from Purdue University in 2002. Darren currently resides in Overland Park, Kansas, with his wife Jody and they have three children. Darren and his family are members of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.

Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly

Auburn 81


Retired CPA & Partner — PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP

Jim graduated from Auburn University in 1984 with a degree in accounting and joined Coopers & Lybrand, a predecessor of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Jim was admitted to the partnership in 1994. As an Assurance Partner, Jim served clients in the insurance, healthcare, retail and consumer, and industrial products industries. He later served as PwC’s lead Risk Management Partner for both the East Region and the Insurance Sector, responsible for evaluating and managing risks and helping engagement teams and clients resolve financial and reporting matters.

Jim retired from PwC in 2018. Jim and his wife, Janice, live in Alabama where they split time between their home in Birmingham and their farm. They have two married daughters who also live in the Birmingham area. Jim is active in his church and enjoys spending time with family, managing their outdoor resources, and quail hunting.

Charlie Oellermann

Charlie Oellermann

Finance Chair

Nebraska 77


Attorney & Of Counsel — Jones Day

Charlie oversees the Business Restructuring & Reorganization Practice in Jones Day’s Columbus, Ohio office, where he has practiced since graduating from law school in 1991. His practice focuses primarily on corporate restructuring, bankruptcy and other insolvency-related matters. He has played leading roles in Jones Day’s representation of debtors, creditors’ committees, asset purchasers and other parties in large corporate restructurings, both in court and out of court, across the country. Charlie also provides insolvency-related advice in litigation and transactional contexts. In addition, he serves as the Executive Editor of Jones Day’s bimonthly Business Restructuring Review.

Charlie is a native of Nebraska and a graduate of Harvard University (J.D.), Purdue University (Ph.D.) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (B.S.). Charlie serves as president of the board of directors of the Christian Legal Society for the term of 2020-22. He became a FH Foundation Trustee in December 2020 and is involved with the Ohio State FH Chapter and Association.

Charlie and his wife, Mary, have two adult children, Betsy and Peter.

Chris Wetzell

Chris Wetzell

Minnesota 99


Grain Merchandiser — Agrex, Inc.

Chris is a grain merchandiser and General Manager for Agrex, Inc. Agrex, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, is an agricultural commodity trading company which provides a broad base of services from origination to financing and logistics to assist the agricultural community. He currently serves on 2 joint venture boards located in North Dakota.

Chris graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2002 with a degree in Ag Industries and Marketing and a minor in Animal Science. He has served 6 years on the Minnesota FarmHouse Association board and was actively involved in the new chapter house project as well as lead the most recent search committee for new Housemother. Chris has been a long-time generous donor to the Foundation, including as a member of the Chairman’s Club for the FH Excellence Fund for the last two years. He became a Foundation Trustee in 2021.

Chris and his wife, Stephanie, have two children Beckett and Jordyn and reside in Medina, Minn. In his free time, Chris enjoys coaching youth sports, time at the lake, and traveling.

Cody Cramer

Assistant Executive Director for Communications & Alumni
Engagement

Oklahoma State 08

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