(Louisville, Kentucky, August 23, 2023) – RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)® welcomed Governing Board members and recognized dedicated volunteers during its annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. The meeting theme was Gather. RISE. Achieve. as leaders at the meeting focused on industry issue accomplishments and advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels. Nearly 150 manufacturers, formulators, distributors, and other industry leaders attended the meeting held August 21-24, 2023.
“Because of the ever-changing nature of our work, we often don’t recognize the progress we have achieved together,” said Provost. “This gathering is more than just an event – It is a celebration of our industry’s power to tackle priority issues as they arise and to accomplish the goals we set out achieve
together as we ensure the continued vitality and succuss of the specialty industry and our ability to deliver product benefits to people and communities.”
The RISE Governing Board met August 21, and recognized Board members completing their term of service during 2023: James Guard, Bayer, Blaine Pinkerton, Nufarm, and Ed Van Der Heijden, SBM Company. And the Board welcomed new members starting their term of services: Damon Palmer, Corteva Agriscience, Mark Schneid, Envu, and Neil Cleveland, PBI-Gordon Corporation
Others continuing their service to the Governing Board:
- Karen Larsen, Chair, Clarke
- John Johnson, Treasurer, Prokoz, Inc.
- Barbara Aguiar, BASF
- Sam Barrick, SePro Corporation
- Kathy Bishop, Lebanon Seaboard Corporation
- Jeff Bunting, GROWMARK, Inc.
- Steven Farrington, Gowan Company
- Todd Mason, Sipcam Agro USA
- Scott Reasons, Syngenta
- Nadia Sinno, FMC Corporation
- Shayne Wetherall, AMGUARD
Governing Board Chair Karen Larson awarded RISE Volunteer Service Recognition to outgoing RISE Committee Chair Jeff Michel, Envu, who served as chair of the association’s Programs and Membership Committee.
Members recognized for their leadership were Eric Miltner, Allied Nutrients, who received the Strategic Driver Award and Steve Gullickson, MGK, who received the Excellence in Grassroots Advocacy Award.
Provost presented the association’s highest honor, the E. Allen James Leadership Award, to Julie Schlekau, Senior Manager, Label and State Regulatory Affairs Group at Valent, during the August 23 general session. Currently serving as chair of the RISE Regulatory Affairs Committee and Chair of the Committee from 2007-2009, Schlekau was honored for her career-long industry leadership and dedicated efforts to improve the regulatory environment for the entire industry through collaboration and consensus, and for her extraordinary leadership role in attaining multiple reauthorizations of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act.
About RISE
RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)® is the national trade association representing manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other industry leaders in the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry. Visit the RISE website at www.pestfacts.org for more information. Follow RISE on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/RISEPestFacts or on Twitter at @PestFacts.