Mar 2, 2017

Wisconsin vegetable, potato groups elect new leadership

On Feb. 9, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) board of directors elected Eric Schroeder of Schroeder Brothers Farms in Antigo as its president for 2017. Schroeder, the WPVGA representative at large, succeeds Mark Finnessy of Okray Family Farms in Plover, who served as board president in 2016.

Josh Mattek of J.W. Mattek & Sons in Deerbrook (District 1) was elected vice president; Gary Wysocki of RPE in Bancroft (District 2) was reelected secretary; and Wes Meddaugh of Heartland Farms in Hancock (District 3) was elected as treasurer.

In addition to the four board officers, the rest of the WPVGA board of directors includes: Finnessy (District 2), who remains on the board; Steve Diercks of Coloma Farms, Coloma (District 2); Ron Krueger of Eagle River Seed Farm, Eagle River (District 1); Rod Gumz of Gumz Muck Farms, Endeavor (District 3); and Andy Wallendal of Wallendal Supply, Grand Marsh (District At-Large).

The WPVGA Associate Division board of directors elected Sally Suprise of Ansay & Associates in Appleton to be its president for 2017. Suprise replaces Wayne Solinsky of Jay-Mar in Plover, who completed his second term on the Associate Division board. The rest of the officers for 2017 include: Casey Kedrowski of Roberts Irrigation Company, Plover, as vice president; Cathy Schommer of Badgerland Financial, Baraboo, as secretary; and Nick Laudenbach of Fencil Urethane Systems, Wisconsin Rapids, as treasurer.

Schommer and Joel Zalewski of Insight FS, Antigo, were incumbent Associate Division board members who were re-elected to the board for their second terms. Newcomers elected to the board were Paul Cieslewicz (who has served on the board in the past) of Sand County Equipment, Bancroft, and Kenton Mehlberg, T.I.P., Inc./Ag Grow Solutions, Custer. They were elected to replace Solinsky and Dale Bowe of Wisconsin Public Service Corp., Wausau, who completed their second terms on the board. The other WPVGA Associate Division board member is Zach Mykisen of Big Iron Equipment, Plover.

As part of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association (WSPIA) Annual Meeting, Jan. 25, at North Star Lanes in Antigo, the WSPIA board of directors elected Bill Guenthner of Guenthner Farms, Antigo, president for 2017. Guenthner succeeds Eric Schroeder of Schroeder Brothers Farms, Antigo, who served as board president in 2016. Charlie Mattek of J.W. Mattek & Sons, Deerbrook, was elected vice president; and John D. Schroeder of Schroeder Brothers Farms, Antigo was elected secretary/treasurer.

In addition to the three board officers, the other two WSPIA board of directors are Jeff Fassbender of Seidl Farms, Deerbrook, and Dan Kakes of Kakes Farms, Bryant.