Sam Houston Agribusiness Association Starts Anew

Traditionally an organization for agriculture business student involvement, the Sam Houston Agribusiness Association has started the fall semester with a revised structure and a new set of goals. With the retirement of former advisor, Dr. David G. Moorman, last spring and the graduation of the previous officer team, a new complement of members, officers, and advisors has risen to fill the void.

The transition presented the opportunity for the club to be more inclusive in its membership and broaden the range of goals and activities for the members. Networking with fellow students, professors, and industry professionals remains a central focus for the organization but the adoption of a new, warmer social atmosphere is intended to heighten the appeal to new recruits. Currently, the association is organizing a department-wide softball tournament and additional sports activities including a skeet shoot, a local fishing competition, and a volleyball game. To keep the professional focus of the organization, arrangements for trips to meet with industry members, a guest-speaker series of alumni members, and attendance of career fairs are in development. When asked to describe the revitalized club, Agribusiness Association President Adam Jenke said, “We still desire to maintain the traditional purposes of career preparation and networking opportunities for our members, but this year we have placed stronger emphasis on networking through engaging activities.” In continuing its traditional functions, the SHSU Agribusiness Association will again conduct the FFA Farm Business Management and Agriculture Sales Contests practice contests this year. The club will also still assist the Texas FFA Association in its area and state level competitions.

A new officer contingent was elected at the September meeting, including: Adam Jenke, President; Scott Gootee, Vice-President; Wendy Gaertner, Secretary; and Dean Garner, Treasurer. Through great expenditure of time and effort these officers, and the diligent club members, have already conducted membership recruitment efforts, club promotion activities, and organizational coordination tasks in their endeavor to reestablish the club’s identity. Club Advisor, Dr. Andrew Lee, has also actively involved himself with the coordination of events and arrangements for speaker appearances. Dr. Lee noted, “The positive response from students and faculty, coupled with the extraordinarily rapid growth and advancement of the club, has thrilled everyone involved with Agribusiness Association and we see great potential for its future.”

The Agribusiness club is currently searching for alumni and industry members interested in relating their business experiences to members and students as a guest speaker. Any party interested in appearing as a guest speaker at a club meeting, is encouraged to contact Dr. Andrew Lee at agr_acl@shsu.edu for further information.

To discover more about the Sam Houston State University Agribusiness Association, explore the club webpage linked to Sam Houston State University Department of Agricultural Sciences website.

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