Executive Board

President
Trudy West, Harrisburg, IL
B.S. 1981 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Substitute Teacher; Marion Unit 2

Vice President
Rocky Lacey-Nelson, Champaign, IL
B.S. 1997 Ag Science
Current Profession: Managing Partner; Inneraq Consulting LLC.

Tim McDermott

Secretary
Tim McDermott, Waterloo, IL
B.S. 2004 Ag Education
M.S. 2009 Educational Leadership, McKendree University
Current Profession: Principal; Waterloo High School

Jeff Behme

Treasurer
Jeff Behme, Carlinville, IL
B.S. 1995 Technical Systems Management
Current profession:  Director of Global Sales, Agriculture; DICKEY-john 

 

Alan Puzey

Past President
Alan Puzey, Fairmount, IL
B.S. 1974 Ag Communications
Current Profession: Agent; Country Financial

District Directors

Body

Each district director is responsible for representing ACES alumni who reside within a specific geographic region in Illinois. He/she communicates the needs and concerns of constituents in their district to the ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors. The director also coordinates at least one social or professional event in his/her district every other year.

View the District Map (pdf)  View the District Counties (pdf)

Dan Block

District 1
Dan Block, St. Charles, IL
B.S. 1994 Agricultural Economics
Current Profession: Product Management, North America, DairyAmerica

Alison Coughlin

District 2
Alison Coughlin, Chicago, IL
B.S. 2008 Agricultural & Consumer Economics
M.P.P. 2010 (University of Chicago)
Current Profession: Director, Commodity Research and Product Development, CME Group

Jerry Brookhart

District 3
Jerry Brookhart, Macomb, IL
B.S. 1963 Ag Science
Current Profession: Insurance & Investments, PGIB

District 4
Barb Schumacher, Buckley, IL
B.S. 1987 Agronomy & Ag Mechanization
Current Profession: Farmer, SunStar Farms

Duane Noland

District 5
Duane Noland, Blue Mound, IL
B.S. 1978 Agricultural Education & Agricultural Economics
Current Profession: President and Chief Executive Officer for the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives

Michael Gunderson

District 6
Michael Gunderson, Mahomet, IL
B.S. 2001 Agribusiness, Farm, and Financial Management
Current Profession: Chief Credit Officer, Farm Credit Illinois

Rebecca Doyle

District 7
Rebecca Doyle, Gillespie, IL
B.S. 1975 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Doyle Associates Consultant and Hickory Grove Pork Farm

Jim Dougherty

District 8
Jim Dougherty, Tunnel Hill, IL
B.S. 1979 Agriculture
Current Profession: Retired, Archer Daniels Midland Company

Vocational/Career-oriented Directors

Body

Each Vocational Director shall have majored in or shall have pursued a vocation or profession that involves the course of study within one of the eight different departments of the college.

Vocational Directors serve as ex-officio members of their department's Advisory Committee and provide updates on his/her respective department during ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors meetings.

Jeff Behme

Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Jeff Behme, Carlinville, IL 
B.S. 1995 Technical Systems Management
Current Profession: Director of Global Sales, Agriculture, DICKEY-john 

Agricultural & Consumer Economics
Carol Wallace, Bloomington, IL
B.S. 2008 Agricultural Economics- University of Zimbabwe
M.S. 2013 Agricultural and Applied Economics
Current Profession: Senior Program Coordinator; Context Global Development

Theresa Miller

Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications
Theresa Miller, Gridley, IL
B.S. 1996 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Self-Employed; Prairie View Farms

Kevin Fromme

Animal Sciences
Kevin Fromme, Bloomington, IL
B.S. 1999 Animal Sciences
Current Profession: Senior Sales Specialist; Tyson Fresh Meats

Loren Goodrich

Crop Sciences
Loren Goodrich, Saint Louis, MO
B.S. 2014 Crop Sciences
M.S. 2017 Crop Sciences
Current Profession:  NA Application Technology Expert; Bayer

Food Science & Human Nutrition
Nick Tarleton, Westchester, IL 
B.S. 2016 Food Science & Human Nutrition
Current Profession: Supervisor, US Supply Chain; McDonald's Corporation

Human Development & Family Studies
Michael Strauss, Libertyville, IL
B.S. 1999 Human Development & Family Studies
University of Illinois College of Law J.D. 2004
Current Profession: Partner; Schlesinger & Strauss, LLC

Lyndsey Ramsey

Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Lyndsey Ramsey, Bloomington, IL
M.S. 2013 Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences 
Current Profession: Director of Strategic Engagement; Illinois Farm Bureau

Liaison Directors

Extension Director
Amanda Taylor, Monticello, IL
B.S. 2004 Agricultural Communications
M.S. 2007 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Assistant Director; Extension Field Operations

Rachel Rosentreter

Young Alumni Director
Rachel Rosentreter, DeWitt, IA
B.S. 2019 Agricultural Leadership
Current Profession: Regional Training Manager; Bayer CropScience

Molly Messner

Chicago Young Alumni Director
Molly Messner, Chicago, IL
B.S. 2018 ACE- Public Policy & Law
Current Profession: Procurement Manager; PepsiCo

Stay Connected!

Online social networking is a great tool to stay in touch with alumni and friends from the College of ACES!