Meddaugh Elected WPVGA Board President for 2019

At a brief meeting held immediately following the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Annual Meeting on February 7 in Stevens Point, the WPVGA Board of Directors elected Wes Meddaugh of Heartland Farms, Hancock, as its President for 2019. Meddaugh (District 3) succeeds Josh Mattek of J.W. Mattek & Sons, Inc., Deerbrook, who served as Board President in 2018. Rod Gumz of Gumz Muck Farms, Endeavor (District 3), was elected Vice President; Mike Carter of Bushmans’ Inc., Rosholt (District 2), was elected Secretary; and Gary Wysocki of RPE, Inc., Bancroft (District 2), was elected as Treasurer. 

In addition to the four board officers, the rest of the WPVGA Board of Directors includes: Bill Guenthner of Guenthner Farms, Inc., Antigo (District 1); Charlie Mattek of J.W. Mattek & Sons, Inc., Deerbrook (District 1); Alex Okray of Okray Family Farms, Plover (District 2); Eric Schroeder of Schroeder Brothers Farms, Antigo (District 1); and Eric Wallendal of Wallendal Supply, Inc., Grand Marsh (District At-Large). 

WPVGA Associate Division Board Elects Kenton Mehlberg President for 2019

The WPVGA Associate Division Board of Directors elected Kenton Mehlberg of T.I.P., Inc./Ag Grow Solutions, Custer, to be its President for 2019. Mehlberg replaces Casey Kedrowski, formerly of Central Door Solutions, Plover, who left agriculture industry and the Associate Division Board. The rest of the officers for 2019 include: Paul Cieslewicz of Sand County Equipment, Bancroft (Vice President); Sally Suprise of Rural Mutual Insurance, Waupaca (Secretary); and Rich Wilcox of Portage County Bank, Stevens Point (Treasurer).

Cieslewicz and Mehlberg were incumbent Associate Division Board members who were re-elected to the Board for their second terms. Newcomers elected to the board were Julie Cartwright of Jay-Mar, Inc., Plover; and Kristi Kulas, M3 Insurance, Madison. They were elected to replace Cathy Schommer of Compeer Financial, Baraboo, and Joel Zalewski, Insight FS, Antigo, who completed their second terms on the Board. The other WPVGA Associate Division Board members are Chris Brooks of Central Door Solutions, Plover, and Nick Laudenbach of Fencil Urethane Systems, Wisconsin Rapids.

Kakes Unanimously Elected WSPIA President for 2019

As part of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association (WSPIA) Annual Meeting, January 30, at North Star Lanes in Antigo, the WSPIA Board of Directors elected Dan Kakes of Kakes Farms, Bryant, President for 2019. Kakes succeeds Charlie Mattek of J.W. Mattek & Sons, Inc., Deerbrook, who served as Board President in 2018. Jeff Fassbender of Seidl Farms, Deerbrook, was elected Vice President; and Matt Mattek of J.W. Mattek & Sons, Inc. was elected Secretary/Treasurer.

In addition to the three board officers, the other two WSPIA Board of Directors are Roy Gallenberg of Gallenberg Farms, Inc., Bryant, and J.D. Schroeder of Schroeder Brothers Farms, Inc., Antigo.