KANSAS WHEAT COMMISSION AND KANSAS - Key Persons
U.S. trade policy has been going through a wild ride recently. The current U.S. administration believes that the existing trade architecture is outdated or constricting, and new forms of leverage are...
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Research and Operations
Aaron Harries has been with Kansas Wheat in Manhattan since July 2006. He currently holds the title of Vice President of Research and Operations. His responsibilities include managing the research portfolio funded by the wheat checkoff, overseeing operations of the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, managing programs of the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation, and international and domestic marketing activities. Prior to joining Kansas Wheat, he was employed by the Kansas Grain and Feed Association in Topeka for 10 years. While at KGFA, he also had additional responsibilities with the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, the Kansas Certified Crop Adviser Program, and the Kansas Association of Ethanol Processors. Harries was raised on a diversified crop and dairy farm in Northeast Kansas. He graduated with a degree in agriculture communications from Kansas State University.
Job Titles:
- Communications and Event Coordinator
Amelia Schatz joined Kansas Wheat in January 2023. She is a December 2022 graduate of the Kansas State University College of Agriculture with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and Journalism with a minor in animal science.
Schatz grew up on a diversified livestock operation in southcentral Minnesota. Her family raises commercial ewes and registered Limousin cattle. Growing up she showed Shorthorn and Limousin cattle, and was an active member in 4-H and FFA.
Throughout her college career, Schatz was on the wool and meat judging teams, an active member and officer of K-State's Block & Bridle club and an active member of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. She held a handful of internships throughout college, including the Communications Intern for Kansas Wheat.
Sharing the stories of good harvests and not-so-great ones with legislators is one reason Chris said he has stayed involved in organizations like Kansas Farm Bureau since early on in his farming career. He joined the KAWG board of directors in 2016.
"It is easy to stay on the farm and bury your head, but it is important to stay involved in any of the commodity organizations to get your voice heard," he said. "Our legislative representatives do not know what troubles we are having on the farm unless we tell them."
Staying abreast of larger agricultural issues was emphasized early to Chris during his high school involvement in FFA. Because he moved home to farm his grandfather's land straight out of high school, he emphasized viewing involvement in agricultural organizations as his continuing education.
Today, his fully no-till farm encompasses more than 3,000 acres of wheat and corn in addition to a beef operation and custom planting and harvesting for others in his area. As his operation has grown, so has that involvement. Initially approached by a neighbor while fueling a tractor, Chris agreed to join the county Farm Bureau board before serving on the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and now as the District 10 representative on the Kansas Farm Bureau Resolutions Committee.
Chris also serves on the board of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program, a two-year intensive education, training and travel program - more of that continuing education. Chris was a member of Class XI, which traveled to Peru as part of their program. Chris said there, agriculture is very different, but the spirit of farmers remains the same everywhere.
Cindy Falk began at the Kansas Wheat Commission in 1985 as a volunteer "Speak for Wheat" spokesperson and part-time nutritionist from 1989 to 1994. Cindy is responsible for developing the annual KWC Recipe booklet, providing educational programs and supervising the spokesperson program. Since 1990 Falk has served as Co-Chair and Chair of the Kansas Festival of Breads baking contest and is currently Chair of the National Festival of Breads baking contest. Since 1993, Falk has served on the national Wheat Foods Council Executive Board and in 2002-2003 was Chairman. She earned a B.S. in Human Ecology from Kansas State University. In 2004, she was the recipient of the "Friend of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences" award. In 1994, Falk received the "Wheat Woman of the Year" award. Falk grew up on a farm in North East Kansas. She still resides there with her husband and enjoys spending time with their four adult children and grandchildren. Her hobbies include swimming, gardening, traveling and baking.
Doug Keesling is a fifth-generation farmer from East Central Kansas. With more than 30+ years' experience in farming, agribusiness, and agriculture policy, Keesling has participated in nearly every aspect of the industry-ranging from crop production, to provision of supplies and services to farmers and farm communities, to shaping of agricultural policy through involvement in state, national and international agricultural trade organizations.
Keesling began his career as a farmer-operating a farm, raising livestock and growing wheat, corn, soybean and sorghum. Keesling is the owner of Keesling Farms (input supplier of everything a farmer needs), Output Management (environmental cleanups of hazmat materials and manure cleanups for large scale layer facilities delivered to farmers and spread for crops), and past owner of Millennium Healthcare (home healthcare business for individuals and hospitals).
A passionate advocate for farmers, Keesling has traveled the United States to promote wheat on behalf of many agricultural organizations, and has journeyed overseas on numerous occasions to advocate for the interests of Kansas wheat farmers. He is a founding board member of Heartland Plant Innovations, and has served on the boards of Plains Grains, Inc., the Wheat Foods Council, U.S. Wheat Associates, and the IGP Institute.
Keesling and his wife, T.J., have two boys, and two girls. In his free time, Keesling enjoys spending time with his church, family and friends, and guiding hunting trips.
Jean Ann Troutt has served as a spokesperson since 2005 and has volunteered at the Kansas State Fair, 3 I Show, Festival of Breads and has used Kansas Wheat Commission materials at the Satanta Arts Council summer kids program emphasizing nutrition. As a retired FACS teachers, Jean Ann enjoys being able to continue to share knowledge about wheat and bakery products as a spokesperson. She resides in South West Kansas, where she taught Family and Consumer Sciences for 26 years. She enjoys working on quilts, reading, visiting her grandchildren and teaching a Sunday school class at her church.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Kansas Wheat Staff Member
Justin Gilpin became Kansas Wheat CEO September 1, 2009. Gilpin is a graduate of Kansas State University's Milling Science program within the Department of Grain Science and Industry. Before joining Kansas Wheat, Gilpin worked at General Mills, Inc., where he was a wheat buyer for three flour mills. He executed daily wheat market orders on the floor of the Kansas City Board of Trade, worked with flour sales, elevator and mill management, and sourcing wheat from various classes. He has been involved in a number of U.S. Wheat Associates committees, is past-chair of the Kansas City Board of Trade Cash Basis committee, Wheat Quality Council board Member and is an adjunct research scientist for Kansas State University's Department of Grain Science and Industry. He currently serves as Chairman of Heartland Plant Innovations and works daily leading efforts at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center on the KSU campus.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Communications
- Vice President of Communications, Coordinates and Implements Communications Strategies for Kansas Wheat
Marsha Boswell has been with the Kansas Wheat Commission and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers since January 2014. During that time, she has overseen the development of new logos, branding campaigns and website redesigns. She is the 2016 recipient of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)/Topeka Communicator of the Year award.
Previously, Boswell was Public Relations Specialist for Kansas Wheat from 1999 to 2008. During her first tenure, Boswell was instrumental in the development of the Kansas Wheat Commission's anniversary book, Kansas Gold: Historical Notes and Heritage Recipes from the First Fifty Years of the Kansas Wheat Commission.
In 2008, Boswell began working at Washburn University School of Law, where she was Director of Marketing Communications. At Washburn Law, she managed production and design of printed materials, developed and implemented communication strategies, and oversaw the complete overhaul of the website.
Boswell is a 2008 graduate of Kansas State University's Master of Agribusiness program. Her thesis was on Determining Effective Communication Strategies for Kansas Wheat Producers to Improve Willingness to Pay for Services. She serves as past conference co-chair for the Women Managing the Farm Conference and as chairman of the Kansas Farm Food Connection. She has served on the boards of IABC/Topeka and Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.
Marsha Boswell, Vice President of Communications, coordinates and implements communications strategies for Kansas Wheat.
Martin Kerschen is a fifth generation producer from south-central Kansas operating a 2500 acre farm of wheat, soybeans, corn and sorghum in rotation. He has been a past chairman of Garden Plain Co-op and an A-Team lead for the U.S. Grains Council. He is married to Lila, and they have three sons. His wife Amy, and their kids, are involved in the farm operation.
Mary Beth Bowers, a spokesperson since 2003, has represented Kansas Wheat at many school programs focusing on how wheat gets from the field to the table. She has given many presentations to classes within the South Central Kansas School Districts. Mary Beth enjoys visiting with children about where their food comes from because she feels it is something that many children have never learned. She resides in Central Kansas and enjoys gardening, crafting, and being actively involved with her church youth group.
Mary Marsh has been with Kansas Wheat Commission since January 2022. She graduated from Kansas State University with a Degree in Agricultural Communications and Journalism, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and minor in Agronomy.
Marsh is originally from northern California and grew up on an almond farm. Before coming to Kansas Wheat, she worked for New Ag Supply as the communications specialist and was an intern with Kansas Wheat while in college. She also does photography on the side. Marsh is currently in the KARL Program.
Mike is a second generation wheat commissioner who farms in North West & North Central Kansas. His diverse no-till operation consists of wheat, corn, grain sorghum and soybeans, He has included safflowers, sunflowers and oats as part of his rotation. Mike was a member of KARL Class IV. He is Past President of Plains Grain Inc. and is involved with the Wheat Quality Council and U.S. Wheat Associates. He is married to Tammy McClellan. They have four daughters.
Job Titles:
- Kansas Wheat Staff Member
- Director of Finance and Human Resources
Rob Berard became the Director of Finance and Human Resources in August 2021. Rob is a graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Before joining Kansas Wheat Rob...
Job Titles:
- Director of Membership and Government Affairs
Shayna DeGroot joined Kansas Wheat in January 2022. She is a December 2021 graduate of the Kansas State University college of agriculture with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications and...