People ATI students excel at NACTA The Ohio State University Agricultural


BUCKEYE BRIEFS Ohio’s Country Journal


Technical Institute dairy judging team recently competed in the 2012 North American Colleges & Teachers of Agriculture Judging Conference. The team placed 2nd in placing, 5th in oral reasons, and 4th overall. Daniel Grim placed 5th in individual overall scoring. The other team members were Tyler Schonauer, Todd Rupp, and Julie Schmersal.


Tony Forshey presented NIAA’s Chairman’s Award


Tony Forshey, Chief of Animal Health


and State Veterinarian for the Ohio Department of Agriculture, received the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s prestigious Chairman’s Award during the organization’s annual conference in Denver. The Chairman’s Award is given to an outstanding volunteer for his unselfish dedication and tireless devotion to the advancement of animal agriculture. “Dr. Forshey’s passion for animal agri-


culture has had a positive impact on countless producers and veterinarians across the country, with his thoughts and guidance helping animal agriculture think of where it is and where it should be,” said Robert Fourdraine, Chairman of NIAA’s Board. “His innovative thinking and lead- ership motivates others.” Forshey practiced veterinary medicine


for 27 years, with an interest in swine pro- duction, and has served on several major swine health manufacturer advisory


boards including Elanco Animal Health, Pfizer Animal Health, Newport Laboratories and Schering Plough. For the past 10 years, Forshey has been as an adjunct associate professor at The Ohio State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. He also serves as vice chair of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board; co-chair of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association Swine Subcommittee to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. From November 2011 through February 2012, Forshey was Interim Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.


ODA announces new staff appointments


Ohio Department of Agriculture


(ODA) Director David Daniels announced several new appointments to the department’s senior management team: Howard Wise, assistant director; Michael Bailey and Janelle Mead, deputy directors; Denise Franz King, executive director of the Office of Farmland Preservation; Traci Orahood, human resources chief; Erica Pitchford, commu- nications director; and Erin Honnold and George McNab, legislative liaisons. “We have assembled a great executive


team of professionals who have a wide array of experience in agriculture, public administration and public policy,” Daniels said. “I look forward to working with everyone to continue our daily work of assisting farmers and protecting con- sumers in the state of Ohio.” Wise will oversee the department’s day-to-day regulatory opera- tions and laboratories, in addition to the department’s policies and procedures. Prior to his this recent appointment, Wise served as the department’s assistant director from 2004 through 2006. From July 1999 to June


2004, he served as the executive director of the department’s Office of Farmland Preservation. Wise has served in several leadership capacities at the Ohio Department of Development. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees in political science and public administration. Bailey will oversee the department’s


Plant Health, Weights and Measures and Livestock Environmental Permitting divi- sions, and will shape department policy. Since joining the department in 2004, Bailey has served as executive director of the Office of Farmland Preservation and executive director of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. A combat veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, he currently serves as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Army Reserve. Bailey is a graduate of The Ohio State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in agricultural economics. Mead’s responsibilities will include


overseeing the department’s legislative, communication and marketing efforts, and shaping department policy. She will also continue to work on promoting agribusi- ness opportunities in the state. Mead, who joined the department in 2011 and most recently served as chief of the Markets division, has also worked for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. She has also pre- viously worked in communications for the Ohio State Alumni Association and Mycogen Seeds. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she earned a degree in agricultural communications. King will be responsible for overseeing


and promoting the department’s farmland preservation program. She brings more than 20 years of experience with natural resources management and conservation policy to the department. King, who most recently served as a deputy superintend- ent with the Ohio Department of Commerce, has previously worked as a


government relations program director for The Nature Conservancy, as chief of the division of Recycling and Litter Prevention and as chief of policy for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. She is currently a Washington Township trustee and has previously served on Dublin City Council and as vice-mayor of Dublin. Orahood will be responsible for the


department’s human resources manage- ment and will oversee employee and labor relations. She most recently served as a fis- cal and human resources manager with the Office of the Governor, and has previ- ously worked for the Ohio Office of Budget and Management and the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. Orahood is a graduate of Franklin University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and a master’s degree in Business Administration. As communications director, Pitchford


will serve as chief spokesperson for the department and will be responsible for coordinating communication plans for the agency. Joining the department in 2011, she served as a public information officer prior to this appointment. Pitchford also spent four years working as an aide in the Ohio Senate. She is a cum laude graduate of Ashland University and was a scholar with The John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs. As legislative liaisons, Honnold and


McNab will act as advocates on behalf of the department to the Ohio General Assembly and U.S. Congress, and will work with consumer groups and indus- try representatives to assist in the research and development of legislative changes. Honnold most recently worked as the deputy director of communica- tions and community education at the Office of the Ohio Treasury and previ- ously served as an aide in the Ohio House of Representatives. Prior to his appointment, McNab worked as an aide in the Ohio Senate.


Ohio’s Country Journal • ocj.com • May 2012 7


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