National Sheep Industry Improvement Center

DIRECTORS/STAFF

A nine member Board of Directors with seven unpaid voting members provides administrative, policy and programs direction for the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center. The seven voting members of the Board are appointed to three-year terms by the Secretary of Agriculture. Voting members represent a diversity of grassroots interests in the production, marketing and financial management of sheep, goats and their products.

The Under Secretary for Rural Development and the Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics serve as non-voting members of the Board.

An Executive Director with the help of an Administrative Officer carries out the Center's day-to-day activities. The NSIIC two-person office receives assistance from USDA Rural Development staff for limited personnel, accounting, procurement, Information Resources Management support, budget and other related activities. USDA Research, Education and Economics also provides some limited personnel support. Other technical and administrative support is authorized to be contracted periodically by the Board as the needs arise. The Board may also establish the need to authorize contracts with other state and federal agencies.

Nominations- Federal register notice and forms for Board nominating

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Voting Members
Paul P. Lewis Chair Oregon Paul is actively involved in the production of hair sheep in Bonanza, OR. He and his wife have been active partners in the family ranching and farming operation for 35 years. He has a BS in Mathematics from Cal. Poly State Univ., San Luis Obispo and extensive financial training as part of a career with State Farm that spans nearly 40 years. He has served as the President of the California Wool Growers Association, President of the local sheep association and past president of the California Farm Bureau Sheep Committee and the California Suffolk Sheep Breeders Assn. Position Held: Finance and Management Term expires: 2009
Chase T. Hibbard Vice Chair Montana Chase is an active sheep and cattle rancher and offers ranch management, appraisals and consulting services in Montana. He has a BA in Political Science from Amherst and an MBA from the University of San Francisco. Mr. Hibbard has 30 years of financial experience beginning as a lending officer for Crocker Bank and extending to currently being a director of Wells Fargo Bank in Helena. He was a member of the Montana House of Representatives for 4 terms and has served as the president and past president of numerous local, state and national organizations. He has served on the governing boards of numerous other public and industry related organizations. Position Held: Finance and Management Term expires: 2009
Clark Willis Secretary-Treasurer Utah Clark Willis has not only been involved in the sheep and cattle industry, but also has a background as a rural appraiser, ranch consultant, rural realtor and livestock nutrition specialist.. He has been involved with the sheep, cattle and farming industry his entire life where he has been the owner/manager of the family sheep and cattle operation since he purchased it from his father in 1983. His operation currently includes range ewes, feeder lambs and irrigated ground that produces alfalfa, barley, soft white wheat, oats and raspberries. He has a BS in Agricultural Economics and a Masters in Agricultural Industries from Utah State University. Clark has a Farm & Ranch Appraisal License, Real Estate License, and Mortgage Lender License. He has served in many industry positions including the Utah Agricultural Advisory Board, Utah State Legislature’s Agricultural Sustainability Task Force, President of the Utah Wool Growers Association and Board/Council member of the American Sheep Industry Association. Mr. Willis is currently on a number of volunteer committees and is the Executive Director of the Utah Wool Growers Association. Position Held: Active Producer Term expires: 2007
William J. (Bill) Blake Voting Director Michigan Bill has been involved with meat cutting and marketing for over 60 years in the upper mid-west and great lakes area but now calls Fenton, Michigan his home. He has spent many nights away from home marketing lamb through a variety of channels including meat cutting demonstrations, working directly with retailers on special promotions, coordinating promotions with packers and processors and working with producers. His career began in the meat business as a meat cutter and then progressed to increasing responsibilities of sales and marketing following a military tour in Europe and the Far East in the early 50’s. He was a regional marketing director for the American Lamb Council for over 20 years and currently works as a consultant for Lamb Marketing projects. He has been active in his community while participating in Church groups, Boy Scouts, Little League, PTA, Elks Club and Lions Club. Position Held: Product Marketing Expert Term expires: 2007
Guy R. Flora Voting Director Ohio Guy Flora is an editor of the Shepherd Magazine, educator and sheep operation owner-operator in the rich farmland north of Columbus, Ohio. As immediate past president of ASI, he has vast experience and knowledge of the U.S. Sheep industry. Mr. Flora has overseen numerous national initiatives for lamb, wool, sheep health and research. Position Held: Active Producer Term expires: 2008
Dr. Tim Turner Voting Director Texas Tim Turner has owned and operated Southwestern Livestock Mineral Company since 1980 which blends custom free-choice minerals and premixes for livestock. He is also owner and operator of the T Star Ranch since 1993 which is rangeland grazing for sheep, cattle, white-tailed deer and goats. This ranch has been in the Turner family since 1878. Tim also has served many organizations, both farm related and not. He is currently a member of the American Sheep Industry's Association's Animal Health Committee, but has served on the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers' Association, Texas and Southwestern cattle Raisers' Association, Texas Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association. He has also been Director of the Southwest Bank, PT A President, and member of the National Live Stock and Meat Board, the local school board and the U.S. Foreign Animal Disease Committee. Position Held: Active Producer Term expires: 2009
Jeff Siddoway Voting Director Idaho Jeff became an active participant in the family held sheep operation in 1970, taking over the presidency in 1990. He runs a large commercial sheep operation on private and public land in eastern Idaho. He has been progressive in implementing rangeland and wildlife techniques that improve his efficiencies and are environmentally friendly. He attended the University of Idaho. Mr. Siddoway has served as the President of the Idaho Wool Growers Association and is a past director of the American Sheep Producers Council and the American Sheep Industry Association. He has served on the USDA - National Animal Damage Control Advisory Board and as a Commissioner of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Position Held: Active Producer Term expires: 2008
Non-Voting Members
Thomas C. Dorr Under Secretary for Rural Development Washington, D.C. Mr. Dorr previously served as Under Secretary for Rural Development under a recess appointment from August 2002 to December 2003. After his recess appointment ended, he was named Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Rural Development Issues. In this position, Mr. Dorr coordinated several major initiatives on behalf of the Secretary. He played critical roles in USDA disaster relief efforts in response to the hurricanes in Florida; he worked closely with the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to reach out to minority farmers; and he provided key leadership on various activities to improve program management and business practices throughout the USDA. Mr. Dorr has broad agricultural, financial and business experience. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the 7th District Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Iowa Board of Regents from 1991-1997, and as a member and officer of the Iowa and National Corn Growers Associations. Prior to his current service at the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Dorr was the President of a family agribusiness company consisting of a corn and soybean farm, a state licensed commercial grain elevator and warehouse, and two limited liability companies. Term associated with position
Dr. Gale Buchanan *Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics* Washington, D.C. Buchanan served as dean and director emeritus at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia until April 2005. Earlier in his career, he served for 20 years on the Auburn University faculty before moving to Georgia as associate director for the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station and resident director of the Coastal Plain Experiment Station. Buchanan received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Florida and his doctorate degree from Iowa State University. Term associated with position
STAFF
Jay B. Wilson Executive Director/CEO Jay has been with the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center since 1998 and currently works out of the Washington office. His career has largely centered around the sheep industry which is a natural fit because he grow up on a large commercial family sheep operation in Utah. He has served as the Executive Director of the California Wool Growers Association where he worked with public policy with the states congressional delegation, in the State Legislature and has served as congressional lesion with both state and federal government agencies. He has a BS from Utah State University He has been active in numerous state and national industry related organizations.	P.O. Box 23483 Washington, DC 20026-3483 (or) Room 2117 1400 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20250-2352 Phone: 202-690-0632 Fax: 202-720-1053 e-mail: jaywilson@nsiic.org
Steven Lee Administrative Officer Steven has been the Administrative Officer for the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center since mid 1998. He currently works from his home in Camden, Maine. Steven grew up on a small cotton farm in Mississippi where he participated in most aspects of farming development. After a career as a college professor, Steven came to work for the federal government through the Department of Veterans Affairs Loan Guaranty Program in Denver, Colorado. While there he gained an extensive background in financial planning, lending requirements, loan servicing and real estate development as well as considerable experience in computer programs associated with the Federal Government.	NSIIC P.O. Box 646 Rockland, ME 04841-0646 Phone: 202-350-9065 Fax: 207-594-5323 e-mail: stevelee@nsiic.org