Cohort 1
Nathan Eckel
Nominated by Ohio Soybean Council
Hometown: Perrysburg, Ohio
Nathan Eckel is a farmer in Perrysburg, Ohio where he resides with his wife and 3 boys, he farms 2000 acres along with feeding 700 head of cattle with his brothers. Nathan currently sits on the board of directors for Luckey Farmers Inc, and the Ohio Soybean Council.
Rose Hartschuh
Nominated by Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Hometown: Crawford County, Ohio
Rose Hartschuh farms full-time with her husband, Greg, and twin boys, Dwight and Jordan, in Crawford County. The Hartschuhs raise corn, soybeans, and forage crops in addition to commercial sheep and dairy cattle. Hartschuh is active in agricultural organizations such as Ohio Farm Bureau and the Ohio Expositions Commission.
Sandra Lausecker
Nominated by Ohio Poultry Association
Hometown: Raymond, Ohio
Third generation egg entrepreneur Sandra Lausecker is the President of Nature Pure and Ohio Natural Eggs, a Founder of Outward Farms and President of the Ohio Poultry Association. She also serves on the board of the American Egg Board and United Egg Producers where she also chairs the Organic Subcommittee. Sandra is a builder and believer in the power of people and value-creation. Her multi-generational insight and vast industry knowledge has evolved the vision and values of her family’s businesses to embrace transparency and added value to their company’s customers, consumers, employees and community in Raymond, Ohio. Sandra is passionate about leading the development and execution of long-term strategies and growing her agricultural roots by focusing on innovation and collaboration in progressive environments to create opportunities necessary for success.
John Linder
Nominated by Ohio Corn and Wheat Assocation
Hometown: Edison, Ohio
John Linder is a multiple generation, multiple commodity producer in Morrow County, Ohio. John farms in partnership with his wife Cheryl and brother Mike. His family operation raises commercial crops of corn, soybeans and soft red winter wheat. The partnership also produces seed soybeans for a commercial seed company. John and his wife Cheryl live on a farm that is adjacent to his brother Mike and both of those farms have become the base of their operation. John and Cheryl have two daughters, two sons-in-law and two grandchildren. Family is an integral part of their farm life and that extends further through their part-time and full-time help. On any random off-peak season day, you may find a potluck dinner in their shop.
Mike Videkovich
Nominated by Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Hometown: Ashville, Ohio
Michael (Mike) Videkovich co-owns and operates Noecker Farms LLC, near Ashville, Ohio, with his wife, Kim, and her parents Ray and Donna Noecker. Noecker Farms currently has a herd of 200 beef cows (plus calves). They grow corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa and various forage crops on 1500 acres. Mike joined the family business in 2006. In June of 2020, Mike and Kim started County Line Meats LLC, which sells beef they produce at Noecker Farms directly to consumer.
Chris Weaver
Nominated by Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Hometown: Lyons, Ohio
Chris Weaver owns and operates a dairy farm in Fulton and Williams counties of Ohio. Bridgewater Dairy Farms group manage 7000 dairy cows on two facilities, farming 5500 acres of corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and wheat. A maintenance division that manages over 100 rolling stock items, and related farm facilities. An accounting office that manages financial statements, loan compliance, and employee benefits. The group consists of over 70 full time employees, with 5 division leaders.
Cohort 2
Jenny Cox
Nominated by Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Hometown: Raymond, Ohio
Jenny Cox of Dresden was elected to represent 24 counties as Southeast Regional trustee for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation in 2017. Cox received a bachelor’s degree in communication and journalism from the Ohio State University and a master’s degree in education from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. She and her husband, Jared, own Cox Seed Sales selling Pioneer Hi Bred International seed, crop insurance and Pivot Bio. They also own and operate a family farm where they raise corn and soybeans. Cox is a graduate of the AgriPOWER institute. She is a member of the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers, Ohio Soybean Association and the Mid-East Career and Technology School Board.
Adele Flynn
Nominated by Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
Hometown: Lorain County, Ohio
Adele Flynn is a full-time farmer in Lorain County. She and her husband Eric, along with their three young children farm approx. 1,100 acres of cash crops and raise beef cattle focused on show, breeding stock and custom freezer beef. Adele is the District 3 State Trustee for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation representing Lorain, Cuyahoga, Erie and Huron counties. She serves on the Centerra Co-op board of directors and is the chairwoman of the Center for Food Innovation NEO.
Grant Gates
Nominated by Ohio AgriBusiness Association
Hometown: Marion County, Ohio
Grant Gates resides in southern Marion County and is currently employed at Morral Companies providing sales and service of a variety of fertilizer products. Grant serves on the Ohio AgriBusiness Association board of directors and currently holds the Vice Chair position. Grant is a graduate of Malone College (now University) in Canton, Ohio and holds a business management degree with a concentration in economics. He and his wife, Amy, have two children: Asher (11) and Gemma (8).
QUESTIONS?
Contact: Dr. Emily Buck | buck.210@osu.edu | agone.osu.edu