CropLife America Elects New Board Leaders, Presents 2011 Awards Recognizing Industry Achievement

Oct 25, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC - Jay Vroom, president and chief executive officer of CropLife America (CLA), has announced the election of CLA’s board of directors. The new directors and officers assumed their posts during the CLA 2011 Annual Meeting, taking place September 25 – 28, 2011 in Dana Point, Calif.

John Chrosniak, regional business director, North America, for DuPont Crop Protection, was elected to a two-year term as Chairman of the Board following the completion of Bill Buckner’s (Bayer CropScience) two-year term. Eric Wintemute, president and chief executive officer of AMVAC, former Chairman of the Board serving from 2007 – 2009, will continue as Immediate Past Serving Chairman.

Also newly elected to the CLA Board of Directors were Jim Blome, chief executive officer, Bayer CropScience; Amy Yoder, president & chief executive officer, North America/Australia, Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC; and Robin Demouth, vice president, general counsel, secretary and treasurer, Valent USA Corporation.
 
In addition, CLA honored recipients of the 2011 CropLife America industry awards for their excellence in and dedication to the crop protection industry, including the newly-created Information Technology Innovation Award, recognizing the important role that ebusiness and technology continue to play in agriculture. The award, held with support from AgGateway, identifies companies and organizations in the crop protection industry that embrace technological advancement in modern agricultural operations towards improved business processes, increased profitability or cost-effective savings, or improved customer/supplier relations. CLA congratulates member company GROWMARK, winner of the inaugural award for their new online networking platform for the agricultural community, cropNAtion. The program launched this past summer and is available online at www.cropnation.com. In addition, cropNAtion will be available via iPhone and Android smartphones apps, and is also available on Facebook and Twitter. CLA will present the award to GROWMARK at their Bloomington, Ill., facility in the coming weeks. AgGateway has sponsored a check that GROWMARK will then donate to the charity of their choice.
 

“Networking, collaborative communication and outreach have always been an essential part of the agricultural community, and our next generation of growers are embracing new technologies in ways that many don’t recognize,” said Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA. “While in the past, they may have met in town to discuss their crops and the weather patterns, they are now on smartphones and wireless networks. A platform such as cropNAtion realizes that our young farmers are engaged, connected and online.”

Other awards announced at the CLA 2011 Annual Meeting, nominated by industry professionals and selected by CLA leadership, included:

• Lea. S. Hitchner Service Award: CLA’s highest and foremost award, honoring one individual whose outstanding contributions to the crop protection industry and association activities epitomize the essence of the first and longest-serving CropLife America President, Lea S. Hitchner.
  • Col. Edgar Duskin, Southern Crop Production Association
     
• Workhorse Award: Recognizing significant and progressive contributions that support the recognition of the crop protection industry as serving a key role in the production of a safe, affordable and abundant food supply for U.S. consumers.
  • John Abbott, Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.
  • J.D. Fish, Bayer CropScience
  • Joy Honegger, Monsanto Company
  • Kenda Resler-Friend, Dow AgroSciences, LLC

• Chairman’s Award: Honoring an individual within the CropLife America staff for his or her exceptional service to member companies, the industry and the association.
  • Kellie Bray, CLA Government Relations

• Presidential Path to Leadership Award: Presented to those who have shown exemplary service as voluntary chairs of one of more of CLA committees.
  • Lincoln Chair: Russell Jones,  Bayer CropScience
  • Roosevelt Chair: John Abbott, Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.; Dan Campbell, Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.; Martin Fitzpatrick, BASF Corporation; Joy Honegger, Monsanto Company; Nick Poletika, Dow AgroSciences, LLC; Karl Sherman, DuPont Crop Protection

• State Legislative Award: Honoring those who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the area of state legislative issues and who promote initiatives that preserve, protect and advance the ability of farmers to provide a safe, affordable and abundant food supply to America.
  • Senator Greg Brophy (R-CO)
  • Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg (R-CO)
     
• Urbanowski Grassroots Award: Presented to non-member individuals who work to promote crop protection within communities and through grassroots activities.
  • Dr. Lori Berger, California Specialty Crops Council
     
• Agriculture Ambassador Award: Honoring members of the media or allied organizations who have made a major contribution to the education of the public about crop protection and their contribution to a safe, affordable and abundant food supply.
  • Nathan Bowen, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
     
• Honorary CLA Lifetime Membership: Recognizing individuals whose career has been devoted to advocating for modern agriculture.
  • Terry Witt, Oregonians for Food and Shelter
     

“These awards recognize those whose skills, support and leadership move both crop protection and modern agriculture forward,” added Vroom. “Each has made considerable contributions toward our industry’s mission – to ensure a safe, affordable and abundant food supply – and we thank the winners for their service.”