Showing We Care

Marine Staff Sergeant Matt Pearson with his Vizsla dog, Beri.

The final shipment of the Military Support Group “Operation We Care” supplies went to Matt Pearson, son of Randy Pearson, GROWMARK seed division manager, quality assurance. Matt is a Marine Staff Sergeant currently deployed in Afghanistan. Matt’s unit received 14 boxes of school supplies and clothing.



During the last few months the supplies distributed to local school children and women in Nawzad (also Now Zad, a small town in the center of the district of Helmand Province, Afghanistan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:City_of_Now_Zad.jpg) put smiles on the faces of many. Photos were taken by Cpl. Kyle Green who commented:“Your gifts were greatly appreciated by the locals here in Now Zad.”

Thank you again to all who participated in this humanitarian effort with their generous donations to help our troops build relationships and goodwill in combat zones.

Appreciating Assistants

To commemorate Administrative Professionals Day, Betty Currie, former personal secretary to President Bill Clinton, addressed nearly 50 GROWMARK employees about her experiences working in such an important role.

An Illinois native, Currie held secretarial positions with the Navy, United States Postal Service, and the Peace Corps before taking early retirement in 1984. She decided to volunteer her skills working for the Mondale/Ferrero campaign that year and quickly found she enjoyed political work.

"I never considered myself a very political person, but the words 'I'd like to volunteer' open a lot of doors," she said.

Four years later, she accepted a paid role in the Dukakis/Bentsen campaign. After losing that election, she decided to step out of politics but was invited to be part of the Clinton/Gore campaign in 1992.

"I wasn't sure about going to Little Rock, if I'd like it, but I visited and fell in love with the people and the town, so I decided to give it a try," she said.

After Clinton was elected, she became part of the transition team because she understood shorthand. When she was offered the position of personal secretary to the new president, "it took about two seconds to say yes!"

She served President Clinton for eight years, and remains in touch with him and his family. She also cared for the Clintons' cat, Socks, after they left the White House.

Currie credits her success to her dedication and work ethic, being in the right place at the right time, and taking advantage of opportunities as they arose.

"If you want to succeed, you should strike a new path, not go by the one that is easy or expected," she added.

Rodeo Gal

This article was submitted by Jeff Draper, GROWMARK FS Eastern Region manager.

Victoria “Tori” Keen is an 18-year-old senior at Salem High School, in Salem, N.J. She is the daughter of Richard Keen, GROWMARK FS Bridgeton, N.J. facility employee, and Jane Atkinson. She is active in her school, holding officer positions in several clubs and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.She will attend Wingate University, Wingate, N.C., this fall, majoring in Athletic Training.

Outside of school, Keen enjoys running barrel horses. She is involved with numerous barrel racing organizations, where she has competed at the state, regional, national, and world levels. Last year, Keen finished 7th in the world on the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association junior card. This year, she will receive her WPRA Permit, allowing her to explore additional opportunities.

Taking the Plunge

What could possess a person to jump into a lake in Wisconsin in February? The Polar Plunge for Special Olympics, that's what!

Jon Brellenthin, Frontier FS Cooperative EMS, and four family members formed a team to raise money for the Special Olympics and take the plunge. This year, their team raised just over $4,000.

Jon Brellenthin, Frontier FS Cooperative EMS (in red trunks) jumps into the frigid water of Lake Monona in Madison, Wis.

"This was the second time I've done the plunge," Brellenthin said. "It was always something I wondered about, and last year I got up the nerve to try it. I think Special Olympics is a great organization, and I was happy to do the plunge again this year."

On the day of the dip, the weather was 32 degrees with light snow falling.

"The water is deep enough that you can go in over your head," Brellenthin said. "You don't stay long, though - it's in and out!"

Brellenthin (far right) and his brothers and sister formed a team that raised more than $4,000 for the Special Olympics.

This was one of many Polar Plunge events throughout the state of Wisconsin. Together, nearly half a million dollars were raised for Special Olympics this year.

Major League Dreams

Christopher is a typical sports-loving 10-year old. He plays football and basketball, but he likes baseball best. He's the pitcher on a local traveling team.

One day he happened to catch a documentary about kids in the Dominican Republic who also like to play baseball.

"When I saw that show, I felt bad for those kids, because they didn't have equipment to play with," he said. "They were using sticks for bats and milk jugs for gloves."

The show made a real impression on Christopher. He prayed about the situation and decided he wanted to do something to help those children play the game they all love.

Christopher's grandfather Lynn Coots is a Certified Propane Specialist with Conserv FS, Inc. in Woodstock, Ill. Several months ago, he learned he had achieved his sales goals for the year, making him and his wife, Judie, eligible for the Annual Sales Program trip.

The destination? The Dominican Republic.

"Everything just fell into place," Lynn said. "When we found out I'd achieved the trip, we knew we needed to help Christopher help those children."

The Cootses packed a bag with baseballs, bats, gloves, and t-shirts. GROWMARK made arrangements with a local tour guide for them to visit a school. The children seemed well-nourished and clean, but Lynn said it was clear they had few possessions.

Every child received a small gift, and names were placed in a bowl and drawn for the larger items. Even though the Cootses spoke little Spanish and the children spoke little English, they understood each other very well.

"The students are learning English, and we were asked to tell them about Christopher and the reason we were there," Lynn said. "Every once in awhile I'd point at a child and say 'Sammy Sosa' or 'Albert Pujols' and they would smile so big."

The children's needs are ongoing, and Christopher asked his friends to donate used sports equipment. Other donations of new or gently used equipment, clothing, hats, and Spanish-English dictionaries are being collected. The first shipment will be sent on March 1.

Questions about the project can be directed to Lynn or Judie at 815-335-2991. A video of the donation can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/d4P870.

A Perfect Score

For most bowlers, a perfect game is a lofty goal, one that may take years to accomplish. Last week, Sandy Boyles, GROWMARK precision farming project coordinator did just that, scoring a perfect 300 during league play at Circle Lanes in Bloomington, Ill.

"I've been bowling seriously for the last seven years, but on and off most of my life," she said. "Last year I scored a 298, but still had the goal of a 300."

Boyles competes in three local leagues and had bowled perfect games in practices, but never in an actual competition.

"There were probably 80-100 other bowlers watching me," she said. "When someone gets close to a 300 game, everything else just stops."

In recognition of the accomplishment, Boyles will be listed on the honor board at Circle Lanes and will receive a 300 ring. She is the first woman to bowl a perfect game at the bowling alley in recent memory.

She credits her coaches, Michelle Mullen and Aleta Sill, as well as her doubles partner, Nancy, for providing technical and emotional support. She plans to bowl more perfect games in the future.

"Once you've done it once, the second one is easier because all the nerves are behind you," she said.

Checking Out the Cup

Thanks to GROWMARK FS's Jenny Zeszutek for sharing this story and photo.

A lucky location allowed two GROWMARK FS, LLC employees an opportunity to check out the Stanley Cup, hockey's top prize.

The GROWMARK FS facility in Eighty Four, Penn. sits next door to Eighty Four Lumber Company, who is a sponsor of the Cup. One day, drivers Gary Winkleblech and Donald Rush noticed a crowd of people in Pittsburgh Penguins clothing lined up at Eighty Four Lumber.

"I thought they must have either a player or the Cup inside, so we went over to check it out," Winkleblech said.

His hunch was right. The Stanley Cup was on display, and a photographer asked the men if they'd like their photo taken with it. They agreed.

"Later, we found out the event was supposed to be for Eighty Four Lumber's employees - we were 'Cup crashers!'" Winkleblech said. "But a friend of mine over there made sure we got a copy of the photo."

The Penguins are reigning Stanley Cup champions.

GROWMARK FS drivers Donald Rush (left) and Gary Winkleblech pose with hockey's Stanley Cup.

An Extremely Good Cause

When the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition rolled into Lena, Ill. this September, Stephenson Service Company had a hand in making the Stott family’s new home a reality.

After learning the popular show would be tearing down and rebuilding a local family’s home, Gordy Williams, energy marketing manager, contacted Hasken Construction to see what the cooperative could do to help.

“We offered to donate an LP-gas tank and fuel, and within an hour they had called back accepting the offer,” he said.

Williams, Larry Hanson, Certified Propane Specialist, and LP technicians Rodney Randecker and Eric Meyer installed a 500 gallon underground tank in several hours during the 106-hour round-the-clock building project. The family’s new home is heated with a geothermal system, but several appliances are propane-powered.

Stephenson Service Company played other roles during the project as well. FAST STOP manager Roxanne Schultz and product manager Sheila Tehaar delivered coffee, donuts, and cookies each morning to the thousands of volunteers and spectators at the site. Keith Beightol, building foreman, volunteered his construction skills.

The episode will air Sunday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m. central time on ABC.

“This helped a family in need in our community, and being part of this community we were glad to be able to help out,” Williams said. “It was a gift of kindness.”

Visit Hasken Construction’s website at http://www.extremehaskenconstruction.com/ for photos and more information about the build.

Pictured with the Stott family's new home are Stephenson Service Company employees (left to right): Larry Hanson, Certified Propane Specialist; Rodney Randecker, LP technician; Eric Meyer, LP technician; and Gordy Williams, energy marketing manager.

Ontario's School Buses Run Cleaner Thanks to FS PARTNERS

This article and photo are courtesy of Janice Johnson, GROWMARK Ontario Region marketing and communications specialist.


After 14 months of negotiation, FS PARTNERS closed a deal with Student Transportation of Canada (STC) to provide more than 1,200 school buses with cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel.

Student Transportation of Canada began its transition to biodiesel with FS PARTNERS in 2008 with Simcoe Coach Lines in Sutton and Parkview Transit in Caledon.

“Since then, we have been supplying the school bus fleets with high quality biodiesel blends through GROWMARK's distribution channels and expertise,” said Andrew Troyer, FS PARTNERS director of energy. “Biodiesel is a fairly new product to most, but to GROWMARK, biofuels have been a major component of the Energy Division for more than ten years. I guess you could say we are veterans of a new product!”

Over the past two years, STC has continued to expand its cleaner fuel program throughout Ontario. Tom O’Neill, FS PARTNERS energy sales manager, said that being involved with STC at the beginning of its push to convert to bio-blended fuels gave FS PARTNERS the opportunity to get in from the ground up.

“What put us ahead of the competition is that we not only provide a quality product, but we also offer flexible services and are available to fuel up anytime of the day or night,” he added.

Established in 1997, Student Transportation of Canada is the fourth largest provider of school bus transportation services in North America and currently operates 6,300 school vehicles in North America.

This new account with FS PARTNERS will amount to sales of approximately 5.8 million litres (1.5 million gallons) delivered each year, resulting in countless reduced emissions. It represents a changing mindset and commitment to renewable fuels.

FS PARTNERS Energy Division works with Student Transportation of Canada in supplying biofuels to its school bus fleets in Ontario. From left to right: Ken Gill, Student Transportation of Canada Inc. (STC) regional maintenance manager, Chris Harwood, STC senior vice president – Canadian Operations, Andrew Troyer, FS PARTNERS director of energy, Tom O'Neill, FS PARTNERS energy sales manager.

Blast from the Past

Luis Roig worked for GROWMARK for several months in 2004, learning about our business after we became involved with maltaCleyton. Recently, Brigette Harlan, renewable fuels product manager, reconnected with Luis and recommended sharing some information about what he’s done since his time with us.

When did you leave GROWMARK?

I left GROWMARK in July of 2004. I spent 4 months with the marketing department so I could learn about the FS System and what GROWMARK does; also, I helped with some projects (Annual Meeting and Marketing Conference)

What did you do after you left?

After I left GROWMARK I joined maltaCleyton as a trainee in the marketing department. What are you doing today? After 3 years working at maltaCleyton Mexico, I have been transferred for 3 years to maltaCleyton Brazil as a brand manager, taking care of the marketing department, learning the Brazilian market, developing and researching new products to complete our portfolio, and creating a pet food line to generate value for our business in Brazil.

How did your time at GROWMARK help you in your career path?

It helped me a lot to learn about agribusiness, which has a straight relationship with animal nutrition. I also learned from the people at GROWMARK, who taught and explained how things work in each department. Everyone I met in GROWMARK helped me to be a better person.

Any personal (family) updates you’d like to share?

I was married to a beautiful Mexican girl. She is a doctor and we having a great experience, living in another country together.

Anything else GROWMARK employees would find interesting?

What I remember most about my time in GROWMARK was that everyone treated me very well and I am very happy to have had that experience. I want to give special thanks to Bill Davisson for letting me be part of GROWMARK for that great 4 months. I remember our tennis matches! I also remember when I invited the people to stop by the marketing department to eat some Mexican candies for the 5th of May.

Thanks to everyone who invited me to Biaggi’s, it was very good. I’m still a Cubs fan, and if you want to see me again, watch the movie Clear and Present Danger with Harrison Ford. I play the son of a drug dealer.

I would be very pleased to have another experience with GROWMARK in the future.

Living United

Congratulations to the GROWMARK second floor for raising the most money per person of all divisions in the Illinois Farm Bureau Family of Companies in the 2009 United Way campaign!

Committee members planned a variety of activities, including a "Who's that Baby" photo contest, bake sale, luncheon, and a raffle with other GROWMARK divisions.

Committee members were (left to right): Brian Gulso, business analyst; Dawn Garner, safety and environmental services administrative assistant; Lindsay Otten, safety and environmental services coordinator; and Angie Ciulla, fuel processing specialist II. Not pictured: Joella Bohannon, accounts receivable specialist.

AGRIS Co-operative Gets Their Sea Legs

This article was submitted by Janice Johnson, Ontario communication specialist and Terry Stevenson, AGRIS Co-operative communications manager.

On Friday, September 11, a group of 21 AGRIS Co-operative sales representatives and guests boarded the HMCS Ville de Quebec Canadian Navy frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1993.

The experience was made possible by AGRIS Co-operative agronomy specialist Chuck Belanger who served as a Petty Officer (2nd Class) with the Canadian Forces.

It was through Belanger’s reconnection with an old navy buddy, Mario Couture, the ship’s underwater warfare director, that the AGRIS Co-operative sales team was able to have this unique experience.

“This is not your ordinary venue for a team-building exercise,” Belanger said. “But what better place to observe and learn first hand about exceptional leadership, teamwork and communication skills than on board the pride of the Canadian Navy?”

The day consisted of many informative tours throughout the ship, networking with the crew and a barbecue lunch on deck as the ship traveled from Sarnia to Windsor, Ontario.

Just after 11 a.m., a tribute to 9-11 was performed with a commemorative 11 round gun-fire salute to honor those who suffered or lost their lives.

The ceremonial blasts were heard for miles as the HMCS Ville de Quebec traveled down the St. Clair River and approached the Bluewater Bridge that links Michigan and Ontario. Hundreds of supporters gathered along the shores of the riverbank to cheer and share a moment of silence.

“The captain and crew on board the Ville de Quebec were outstanding,” Belanger said. “They spoke about the day-to-day operations with an open and honest approach. Their sense of pride and fulfillment was apparent throughout the day making me feel like I was right back at sea and it gave the group an intimate perspective of what navy life is like.”

The Ville de Quebec departed from Halifax on August 26 on the 2009 Great Lakes Deployment for a month-long, 11-city tour along Quebec and Ontario shorelines to raise the Canadian Force’s profile and highlight the ship’s national and international contributions, with a focus on bolstering Navy recruitment. A Halifax-class frigate, the Ville de Quebec, measuring 134.2 metres in length, a range of 9,500 nautical miles and a regular crew of 228, she is heavily-armed with sophisticated radar controlled weapon systems, equipment and technology. Her most recent mission involved protecting food supply ships from pirates off the coast of Somalia.

From left to right: Larry Pajot, AGRIS Co-operative vice president; David Malott, AGRIS Co-operative president; Chief Petty Office 1st Class Keith Davidson; Ville de Quebec Captain Luc Cassava; and Chuck Belanger, AGRIS Co-operative agronomy specialist.

Rollin' on the River

Last Friday I attended the 9th annual Showcase of the Kaskaskia Watershed Association (KWA), hosted by the Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders (LKSI). Nearly 300 guests boarded a barge on the Kaskaskia River near Modoc, Ill. and set off on a three hour tour (cue Gilligan's Island theme song here).

One of the highlights for me was locking through the dam where the Kaskaskia meets the Mississippi. What an experience to witness the change in depth in just a matter of minutes! The Kaskaskia was about 19 feet higher than the Mississippi, so we were lowered on the way through and raised on the way back. The pumps that move the water are amazing!

This was the water level when we started.



You'll see by the water line on the wall that within a matter of minutes, we'd dropped considerably!

The rest of the tour was full of beautiful scenery, informative presentations, and even a few jumping fish. As we returned to the dock, a huge flag was unfurled over the dam as America the Beautiful played in memory of September 11, 2001.

Gateway FS, Inc. is very involved with the LKSI group because they use the Kaskaskia River to send and receive many barge shipments each year. Gateway employees were involved with publicity, registration, food, and technical support during the cruise.

A Firm Foundation

Here are the captions for the photo collage which appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Spirit.

1. (Left to Right): Jordan Klosterman, Tiffany Ochs, and Andrew Spray, all of Wabash Valley Service Company, assess the growth stage of a stalk of corn.

2. Kate Graves, GROWMARK FS, LLC, examines soybean cyst nematodes under a microscope.

3. Howard Brown, GROWMARK manager, agronomy services, explains the soil profile and how it affects growing crops.

4. Brendan Bachman, Lincoln Land FS, Inc., tries to determine what damaged this soybean plant.

5. Russell Larson, GROWMARK FS, LLC, looks at soybean cyst nematodes through a loupe.

6. (Left to Right): Bill Emmert, AgVantage FS, Inc., Matt Casey, AGRILAND FS, INC., and Richard Halsne, AgVantage FS, Inc., examine soybeans for possible herbicide damage.

7. Bill Emmert (left) and Richard Halsne, both of AgVantage FS, Inc., use a portable GPS unit to mark the location of a soil sample in a field.

8. Ben Sherod (left) and Dustin Ellis, both of AGRILAND FS, INC., discuss features of a handheld GPS unit.

9. Participants count corn plants to determine planting population.

10. Kevin Black, GROWMARK insect and plant disease technical manager (right) removes a soybean plant from the soil to look for soybean cyst nematode.

11. Brendan Bachman, Lincoln Land FS, Inc., (left) and Brian Sisson, Conserv FS, Inc. collaborate during the "goof plot" exercise where plants were intentionally damaged so participants could diagnose common problems.

12. Jacob Bonnell, FS Seed intern, puts the knowledge he gained to the test in deciding an appropriate course of action to remedy this soybean plant.

Goin' to Kansas City...

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the EMS Seminar in Kansas City, Mo. Despite a late arrival due to airplane problems (thankfully while the plane was on the ground), it was an interesting and enjoyable two days.

The seminar began with an afternoon of presentations by GROWMARK Energy staff and other industry leaders on fuels, lubricants, and the renewable industry. Newly-certified EMS's were recognized as well as significant anniversaries.

The next morning we boarded buses for the 3 hour drive west to McPherson, Kan., home of the National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA). We heard several informative presentations from NCRA personnel, then drove around the refinery and visited with chemists in the lab. I never realized how many different products can be extracted from crude oil.

After the journey back, the group relaxed at a Kansas City Royals baseball game. The stadium has been recently renovated and we had great seats along the third base line. The highlight of the game for me was seeing one of our own scramble for a home run ball hit in the first inning - pretty cool souvenir!

I enjoyed meeting and visiting with many of the EMS's at the seminar and I'd like to thank them for all they do for the GROWMARK System!

Investing in the Future

Photo and information courtesy of The Morrisonville Times.

The Morrisonville High School ag department received a donation of a 20-foot gas-powered sprayer with foamer from the Christian County Farmers Supply Company's Morrisonville, Ill. facility.

The ag students will use the sprayer to learn the basic functions of a sprayer, how to properly calibrate it, and how to use it in the field.

Front, left to right: Burr Ginger and Trenton Tiemann, Christian County Farmers Supply Company.

Back, left to right: Lynn Beard, Mark Grundy, Jeff Miller, Joseph Bloome, and Brian Borgic, Morrisonville High School agriculture students.

Expecting the Unexpected

The Waterloo Tank and Truck Center in Waterloo, Iowa recently hosted confined space rescue training for the Waterloo fire department. The firefighters practiced removing a person from inside a propane bottle in the event of an emergency. Nearly 25 firefighters participated in the simulation.

"When the fire department came out to do our fire inspection, Lester (Zmolek, GROWMARK senior safety specialist) and Nikki (Riley, GROWMARK environmental, health, and safety associate) suggested we offer our facility for this training," said Joan Hennings, administrative coordinator. "We wanted them to be familiar with our facility and the situations they may face in the event we needed to call on them."

The firefighters developed their own method for rescuing a person, using two ladders in an A-frame configuration. They determined that a chain hoist in the workshop could also be used if the truck was indoors.