SDARL graduates and class members are well known for their leadership in agriculture, which may explain the large number of program members who attended the South Dakota Governor’s Ag Summit on June 22nd in Brookings.
Those attending include, in the picture above from left, Craig Dybedahl (SDARL II), David Skaggs (SDARL V), Mike Jaspers (SDARL IV), Lee Friesen (SDARL X), Matt Lindgren (SDARL X), Cheri Rath (SDARL II), Ty Eschenbaum (SDARL VII), Kelly Brandlee (SDARL VII), Daniel Larson (SDARL IV), Cindy Heidelberger (SDARL XI), Kevin Haselhorst (SDARL XI), Krysti Mikkonen (SDARL X), Walt Bones (SDARL II), Pam Geppert (SDARL I), Bob Thaler (SDARL III), Connie Groop SDARL VI), Colette Kessler (SDARL XI), Cory Hughes (SDARL XI), and Lora Berg (SDARL X). Also present at the Summit but not pictured were Bjorn Nelson (SDARL VIII) and Jarod Knock (SDARL VIII).
Many were in attendance to support SDARL granduate, Walt Bones (SDARL II), who received the Governor’s Ag Ambassador Award (see photo below with Walt, Governor Kristi Noem, and Secretary of Agriculture Hunter Roberts). You can read more about the award HERE.
Past Governor’s Ag Ambassador recipients include Jeff Lakner, Paul Casper, Roger Scheibe, Lake Area Tech, Michelle Rook, Dr. Bob Thaler (SDARL III), Brad Greenway, Mike Held, Jim Woster, and Dr. Dan Gee, founding Executive Director of SDARL.
