12 CapitalPress.com
November 11, 2016
Dynamic board keeps
Ag Expo on right track
By GEOFF PARKS
For the Capital Press
The French have a saying,
“The more things change, the
more they stay the same.”
That’s the perfect tagline
for the makeup of the Wil-
lamette Valley Ag Expo’s
nine-member board of direc-
tors.
The board members are
nominated by the WVAE
membership and each serves
a minimum three-year term.
They are elected at the annual
meeting of the organization,
which usually takes place on
the final morning of the Expo
during the exhibitor breakfast
meeting.
The Expo board makeup
has changed little through the
years, but each change has
been seamless, keeping its dy-
namic stable and smooth.
The most recent change
involved one of the original
board members, Tom Wells,
who left Salem for another
ag-industry opportunity in
Othello, Wash.. He was re-
Courtesy of WVAE
Tom Wells, an original member
of the Willamette Valley Ag
Expo board of directors, has
moved to Washington state.
placed by Carl Laux of Papé
Machinery. But that just
means the Expo will stay the
same as it has for the past 15
years — on an upward path of
success.
“Tom had been on our
board since the beginning,
and always had good input
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about the farm economy,
trends and ideas on how to
move the focus of the event
to remain relevant and on
top of the curve,” said Jill
Ingalls, Willamette Valley
Ag Association manager.
“He just had a great per-
spective, and we miss him a
bunch.”
Wells also had praise for
the Expo.
“The event has exceeded
all of our expectations,” Wells
said of the successful, growing
Willamette Valley Ag Expo.
“The reason being is we
filled a niche left by an-
other show that addressed
the ag industry,” but which
couldn’t handle the larger
equipment.
Wells also noted the Ex-
po’s important ag scholarship
program, informational semi-
nars and classes — including
pesticide certification courses
— and the “pleasant surprise”
of the three-day event, Dine
Around Oregon.
“That event (Dine Around
Oregon) gave that Wednesday
evening time slot a whole new
dynamic,” Wells said. “The
pulse and vibe of that event
has really given the show a
new life.”
The Expo board in 2016
is a mix, which includes
long-serving members such
as Bill Lusk of Ag West, the
chairman; Eric Fery of Ag
Chains Plus, the event’s vice
chairman; and Don Kropf of
Linn-Benton Tractor, secre-
tary.
Seasoned members such
as treasurer Terry Marstall
of Les Schwab Tires, Steve
Prouty of NW 94 Sales, Mike
Brown of DeJong Products
and Stacy Koos of Citizens
Bank are joined by relative
newcomers Andy Steinkamp
of Wilco and Laux of Papé
Machinery.