ABN’s Hill elected NAFB veep

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The members of the National Assoc. of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) elected Lindsay Hill of the Agri Broadcast Network (ABN) of Ohio to serve as vice president of the organization at its annual convention in Kansas City.

Hill, owner and chief operating officer of AdVance Broadcast & Communication, is a 10-year veteran of agricultural media and rural news radio. As vice president of the professional organization representing agricultural broadcast journalists, she will serve on the NAFB board of directors and will work alongside the members of the Executive Committee to lead the NAFB.

Hill, a graduate of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, began her media career studying with the late “Dean of Farm Broadcasters” Ed Johnson, an NAFB Hall of Famer and founder of ABN Radio & Television. Hill’s work at ABN has spanned tenures ranging from a college internship at ABN to her current role as owner and lead broadcaster.

Hill, a lifelong resident of De Graff, Ohio, grew up on a family grain farm still operated by her father and brother. She and her husband, Andy Vance, originate ABN’s broadcasts from the farm, with the network’s operational headquarters opening later this year in the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow at Ohio State.

Wyffels names W. Iowa manager
GENESEO, Ill. — Wyffels Hybrids named Paul Galm as region manager in western Iowa. Galm, a Spencer, Iowa, native, comes to Wyffels Hybrids with more than 20 years of experience in sales and sales management within the seed industry. As region manager, he will oversee eight district sales managers and continue to build strong relationships with growers.

Prior to joining Wyffels, Galm served as a region manager and district sales manager for seven years, and has held several product management positions within other seed companies. He received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Iowa State University.

Wyffels, headquartered in Geneseo, Ill., is one of the nation’s largest independent seed corn companies.

Blade Energy hires sales director
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Ceres, Inc. announced that Frank Hardimon will lead seed sales for its Blade Energy Crops brand. The industry veteran and certified crop advisor will manage direct-to-farm relationships as well as commercial seed transactions with biofuel and biopower companies. Early bookings for the first switchgrass and high-biomass sorghum seeds are scheduled to begin next month.

Prior to joining the company, Hardimon – who resides near Champaign, Ill. – was a regional sales manager for Great Lakes Hybrids, a brand of AgReliant Genetics, one of the top corn seed suppliers in the United States. Earlier in his career he held various positions in research and product management.

Ruff named jr. activities director
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Robin Ruff has been promoted to junior activities director for the American Angus Assoc., effective immediately. She has served as the junior activities assistant since May 2007, upon completing her bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University.

Ruff will oversee the activities of the more than 7,000 active junior Angus members and will continue to coordinate and implement programs of the National Junior Angus Assoc. (NJAA). She will work closely with the NJAA Board to facilitate leadership programs, educational events and shows for the NJAA, comprised of Association membership 21-years and younger.

Ruff is a native of Hanston, Kan., where she was raised on her family’s cattle operation. She competed in the show ring on various levels. She earned a bachelor’s in agribusiness from K-State, where she was active in Collegiate Cattlewomen, College of Agriculture Student Council and Sigma Alpha Professional Agriculture Sorority.
Ruff can be contacted by calling the association at 816-383-5100 or via e-mail at rruff@angus.org or for more information about the NJAA visit www.njaa.info

Wessels wins Wyffelmania
GENESEO, Ill. — John Wessels of Allison, Iowa, has won a 4x4 John Deere Gator courtesy of Wyffels Hybrids. The Iowa grower was one of 2,000 people who entered the drawing at the 2008 Farm Progress Show. Wessels farms more than 2,100 acres of corn and 1,000 acres of soybeans in Butler County.

He was the grand prize winner at the “Wyffelmania” event, but 10 other lucky Iowa visitors were also drawn for prizes in the Wyffels giveaway: Joe Kriegel of Brooklyn, Mike and Sharon Lucas of Walker, Tom Maas of West Liberty, Eric Totemeier of Columbus Junction and Dave Welter of Ottosen were each the winners of $500 diesel fuel cards.

Iowa residents James and Carol Brannaman of Mount Vernon, Dwight Glenney of Muscatine, Kevin Kuehl of Mechanicsville, Joe Spellman of Bouton and Brent Willimack of Oxford Junction were each the winners of $250 Cabela’s gift cards.

In addition to the 11 top prizes, visitors and their families got the chance to fish in the Wyffelmania fishing pond and turn their catches in for Wyffels goodies including caps, shirts, stress fish and more.