Nine Ohio agribusiness leaders were recognized as the latest graduates of Ohio AgriBusiness Association’s LAUNCH program. Hosted by the Ohio AgriBusiness Association, in partnership with Shift-ology Communication, the LAUNCH program is geared to help Ohio agribusinesses Elevate People, Elevate Ideas and Elevate the Industry.
Participants were identified by their companies as emerging agribusiness leaders: individuals with a desire to meet higher level goals than the scope of their current positions, who seek to rise within their companies. The nine OABA member graduates who successfully completed the 2023 LAUNCH program include:
- Jordan Beck, Pettisville Grain Company
- Blair Bennis, Corteva Agriscience
- Alexis Busack, Luckey Farmers Inc.
- Michael Karg, Luckey Farmers Inc.
- Anton Kilburn, Global Impact STEM Academy
- Tyler Miller, Cargill
- Dan Smith, The Andersons
- Reannen Sollars, Centerra Co-op
- Grace Walter, Helena Agri-Enterprises
“With a focus on leadership development, the LAUNCH program equips today’s agricultural leaders with the confidence and tools they need to take the next steps in their careers, while also helping them identify and pursue opportunities that will advance their career goals,” said Chris Henney, OABA president and CEO. “This year’s class is a strong indicator that the future of our industry will be promising.”
LAUNCH is a transitional training – empowering employees to meet higher level goals, going beyond the scope of their current position. Agribusinesses continually compete with all industries to recruit and retain the best talent, but there is also a need to invest in those who are already passionate about agriculture.
Program topics and skills practiced included: personal insight, next-level leadership skills and decision making including strategic planning, critical thinking, change management, goal setting and organizational skills; communication and presentation skills; global issues in agriculture; sales and marketing principles; Ohio/regional trends in agribusiness; state and local government; and a personalized capstone project.
Other staples of the LAUNCH experience are networking opportunities, webinars and the capstone project – a key component of LAUNCH where the participant selects a strategic project to implement at his or her place of business.
More than 20 different speakers provided their insight through multiple interactive sessions including Ann Gallagher, who helped participants consider and learn best practices for the modern leader. Gallagher, founder of Gallagher Consulting Group, a strategy and communications company helping non-profits, trade associations and businesses.
For additional information on OABA or the LAUNCH Program, contact Janice Welsheimer at 614-326-7520 or jwelsheimer@oaba.net.
Categories: Ohio, Business