Archbold Equipment names Hetterick its new CEO

ARCHBOLD, Ohio — Archbold Equipment Co. has named Zach Hetterick CEO of the six-store CASE IH dealership complex. 

Hetterick comes to Archbold Equipment from CASE IH, where he held various roles including Parts and Service Manager, Territory Sales Manager, Livestock Marketing Manager for North America and most recently, Marketing Manager for High Horsepower Tractors for North America. He began his career at AGCO and also worked for Ohio CAT.

Hetterick said, “Together, we’ll continue to create ways to be a true business partner to our customers. The new facility being built in Portage and the shop expansion at the Sherwood location are a great start to that.”

Hetterick earned his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture at The Ohio State University. He grew up on a beef cattle and tobacco farm in southern Ohio. In 2013, he was named Product Manager of the Year by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA). He served on the Badger NAMA Board and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. Allied Industry Council.

AFIA executive retires as

VP after almost 40 years

ARLINGTON, Va. — Keith Epperson, American Feed Industry Assoc. vice president of manufacturing and training, retired Dec. 31, after nearly 40 years of service in the feed industry. Epperson joined AFIA in 2005 in the position he held until the end of 2014 and also served on three AFIA committees in leadership roles for numerous years while employed by Kent Feeds.

Epperson began his career in the feed industry at Kent Feeds in 1976, working his way through the ranks before retiring as the company’s Vice President of Quality Assurance, Safety and Training and Operations of the Eastern Region.

During his time at AFIA, Epperson provided guidance and leadership on behalf of AFIA to federal agencies, including the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation and Homeland Security.

NCGA names second class of

DuPont New Leaders Program

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — The National Corn Growers Assoc. has announced the participants of the 2015 class of its NCGA DuPont New Leaders Program, now entering its second year of helping farming couples and individuals become better communicators and leaders. Thirty-five participants representing 16 states will be involved in the program next year. 

Those from the Farm World area entering the 2015 NCGA DuPont New Leaders Program are Jason and Kate Danner, Illinois; Colton and Jill Ringel and Christopher and Ashley Hudson, Indiana; Kyle and Jenna Ramsey and Casey and Katie Schleusner, Iowa; Michael and Megan Buckman, Kentucky; Jason and Angela McConnachie and Anthony and Carrie Kubik, Michigan; Brian and Secely Lehman, Missouri; and Derek Giffin, Tennessee. 

 As in the 2014 inaugural year, the program will be implemented in three phases in 2015, with two plenary sessions: Iowa in late January and Washington in mid-July. At these sessions, participants will harvest knowledge of communications and leadership skills and issues confronting American corn growers. They also will have the opportunity to see leaders in action in our nation’s capital and visit with their lawmakers. Between these two sessions, participants will be involved in national and state-level programs supporting American agriculture.