RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) members gathered for the association’s 32nd annual meeting in Lake Oconee, Georgia. More than 150 attendees met for three days to discuss the organization’s five-year strategic plan. The theme of the meeting was Gather, Connect, RISE with Megan Provost, RISE president, emphasizing that joining together as an industry was key to advocacy success.
“We speak as the voice of our industry and advocate for regulatory and legislative certainty,” she said. “We work to help you be better advocates and spokespeople for our industry.”
RISE hosted two keynote panels. The first in which leaders from partner associations in pest management, golf and landscape joined Provost to share what the industry can do to speak with a unified voice. The second discussion featured top industry communicators who discussed how to implement messaging using RISE public opinion research. The keynote speaker was Timothy Caulfield from the University of Alberta, Canada, a communicator, professor and scientific researcher who debunks myths and assumptions about innovation for the benefit of the public and decision-makers.
Recognizing board members and committee chairs
The RISE Governing Board elected two new members, Steven Farrington of Gowan Company, and Jeff Bunting of Growmark.
The Board’s 2023 Executive Committee is:
- Karen Larson, chair from Clarke Mosquito Control
- Jose Milan, vice chair from Bayer Environmental Science
- Blaine Pinkerton, treasurer from Nufarm Americas
Also continuing their terms on the 2022-23 Governing Board are:
- Barbara Aguiar, BASF
- Kathy Bishop, Lebanon Seaboard Corp.
- Bill Culpepper, SePRO Corp.
- John Johnson, Prokoz
- Todd Mason, Sipcam Agro USA
- Scott Reasons, Syngenta
- Nadia Sinno, FMC Corp.
- Shayne Wetherall, Amguard Environmental Technologies
Daryl Allen from Corteva Agriscience and Brian Rowan from SiteOne Landscape Supply completed their terms on the governing board.
Award recipients
RISE members and other industry leaders were honored with a variety of awards.
The recipient of the 2022 E. Allen James Leadership Award was Wendell Codner, business manager of global consumer solutions for FMC and past chair of RISE’s strategic oversight council. This award exemplary leadership and outstanding contributions to the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry and to RISE.
“Since joining RISE, Wendell has been an active member on our committees,” said Provost. “He’s helped attract and retain members and provided input to deliver the best possible programs for our members. He has been proactive in stewarding RISE activities and thinks about our industry first.”
The 2022 RISE Grassroots Excellence Award was given to two honorees this year, Matthew Johnson, president of Aquatic Control, for his federal grassroots work, and Pete Gorman, chair of the Connecticut Environmental Council, for his work in the state. The award is presented annually to an individual, group or allied association that demonstrates outstanding effort and contributions to furthering the mission, vision and goals of the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry’s public policy advocacy through grassroots.
The 2022 Strategic Driver Award, recognizing the work of RISE volunteer leaders and their impact of helping RISE achieve its strategic plan’s mission and vision, was awarded to Julie Schlekau, senior manager for label and state affairs group for Valent and vice chair of RISE’s Regulatory Affairs Committee, for her role in advancing our regulatory advocacy, particularly helping reauthorize the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA 5); and Dillon Gabbert, state regulatory engagement manager with Bayer, for his to drive strategy and engagement on regulatory advocacy.
RISE recognized founding member, long-time volunteer leader and governing board member Bill Culpepper, SePRO founder/chairman, for his 31 years of service to the association during his last RISE Annual Meeting before retirement.
