Alex Dunn
CEO, CropLife America
Alex Dunn is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of CropLife America, the national organization representing manufacturers, formulators, and distributors of pesticides. Dunn previously served as a Partner in the Environmental, Safety, and Incident Response group at the international law firm of Baker Botts, LLP, working on pesticide issues, chemical regulation, and a wide range of related environmental topics. From 2019-2021, she served as Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, a post to which she was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. CropLife America works to ensure growers and consumers have the technologies they need to protect crops, communities, and ecosystems from the threat of pests, weeds, and diseases in an environmentally sound, safe, and sustainable way.

Drew Thomas
SVP/Managing Director of Food and Beverage, Huntington Bank
Drew Thomas is an accomplished banking professional with extensive experience in the financial sector, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Food & Beverage at Huntington National Bank since April 2017. Prior to this role, Drew held the position of Vice President in Loan Syndications at Rabobank from September 2013 to April 2017. Drew's career at Huntington National Bank began in August 2005, where various roles included Commercial Portfolio Manager, Senior Credit Analyst, and Business Analyst in Middle Market Commercial Banking and Asset-Based Lending. Drew also gained early experience as a Page for the Ohio House of Representatives and as an intern at Merrill Lynch. Drew holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness and Applied Economics from The Ohio State University.

Sarah Bileti
Chair, Immigration Practice Group, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP
Sarah Bileti is an immigration attorney and Chair of the Immigration Practice Group at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP. She advises U.S. and international companies on business immigration strategy, workforce compliance, and cross-border talent mobility. Sarah has extensive experience guiding employers through complex visa processes, I-9 audits, and U.S. market entry. She represents clients across a range of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, and technology.

Jim Howe
Star of the West Milling Co.
Jim Howe serves as the CEO of Star of the West Milling Co. He began his agricultural journey as a leader in the Hemlock FFA Chapter, where his experiences—including a transformative trip to the National FFA Convention—inspired him to pursue higher education at Michigan State University. While studying agricultural economics with a minor in crop and soil sciences, he accepted an internship with Star of the West Milling Company, which led to a full-time position before graduation. Although he initially planned to return to his family farm, he was prompted to remain at Star of the West, where he built a distinguished four-decade career. Over the years, he rose through the company ranks, contributing to its evolution into a vertically integrated agricultural organization with 27 locations.

Dr. Matthew Daum 

Associate Provost and Dean of the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR)

Daum was named Dean of CANR, effective June 13, 2025, after serving as interim dean of the college since July 1, 2024. Prior to being named interim dean in 2024, Daum served as director of the MSU School of Packaging and assistant dean of corporate relations and strategy for CANR. Before his return to his alma mater in 2020, Daum held a 25-year-career at HP Inc. (formerly Hewlett Packard) based in Boise, Idaho. In 2016, Daum became HP’s Director of Engineering for the LaserJet toner supplies business. He was responsible for new product research and development, current product engineering, supplies security strategy, and product/package serialization strategy and implementation. Since July 2019, he also held the position of Product Marketing Director for the LaserJet supplies business.

In addition, since 2007, Daum has served as adjunct associate professor at Clemson University in the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences where he advises graduate students. He has also guest lectured on the topics of supply chain and packaging at Clemson and the College of Idaho.

Dr. Tim Boring
Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
Dr. Tim Boring serves as the Director of MDARD, supporting the department's continued commitment in investing in the state’s rural communities, expanding food and agricultural businesses, protecting consumers from the pump to the plate, and preserving Michigan’s environmental resources. He previously served as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency. Boring's family operates a six-generation farm in Stockbridge, Michigan. Prior to his appointment at the USDA, he was the president and founder of Michigan Agriculture Advancement. He also previously served as the Vice President of the Michigan Agri-Business Association and worked as research director of the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee. Governor Whitmer had previously appointed Dr. Boring to the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2019. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriscience, Master of Science in Crop and Soil Sciences, and Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University.

Dr. Paul Isely
Associate Dean and Professor of Economics, Grand Valley State University
Dr. Paul Isely is the Associate Dean and Professor of Economics for the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University. Dr. Isely’s research has led to more than 50 publications which consist of peer-reviewed journal articles, local articles, research reports, and grant reports. These articles have explored West Michigan’s economy and its relationship to the National and State Economies.  His research led to his first appointment by Governor Snyder, and then renewed by Governor Whitmer, to Michigan's Utility Consumer Participation Board, where he currently serves as the Interim Chair.  

Christie Apple
Agronomy & Soil Health Specialist, Timac Agro
Christie Apple has been working in agronomy for more than 15 years. She holds a leadership role at TimacAgro USA, a global innovator in crop nutrient and bio-stimulant manufacturing. There, she oversees ongoing field education and mentoring for technical field representatives and drives new business development within the wholesale distribution chain across the Great Lakes Region. Christie started the CropScout Christie social media channel, which includes Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, to meet the growing demand for on-the-ground learning and support. She also engages growers by speaking at seminars, leading breakout sessions, field days, and root pits, and providing practical insights and hands-on education in soil health and regenerative practices.

Jim Byrum
Executive Director, Riveron
Jim Byrum serves as Executive Director at Riveron, a national business advisory firm specializing in accounting, finance, technology, and operations. In this role, Jim is bringing his decades of industry experience as a business owner and association executive to advise some of the world’s largest companies, across multiple sectors, on their operations and their long-term strategy. Jim also remains very active in Michigan agriculture, serving on the Board of Directors for Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch and helping agricultural interests look to the future. 

Jim Suits (Invited) 
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Jim Suits is the Senior Advisor for Program Operations in USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). In his role, he supports USDA’s trade capacity building programs by advising on and enabling best practices of project management for a programming portfolio of over $1 billion per year, including streamlining procedures and determining how to best employ a variety of instruments to fulfill a dynamic global mandate. He previously worked as a front-line project manager on a variety of initiatives relating to agricultural statistics and the monitoring and evaluation of program activities in emerging market countries. Originally from Houghton, Michigan, he has degrees from the University of Michigan, Colorado State University, and George Mason University, is certified in project management, contracts management, and grants management, speaks four languages, and has conducted fieldwork in 33 states and 23 foreign countries.

U.S. Representative Jack Bergman
Rep. Jack Bergman represents the First District of Michigan, having assumed office in 2017. The boundaries contain the entire Upper Peninsula and all of the northern Lower Peninsula. Altogether, the district makes up about 44% of the land mass of the state of Michigan. The Bergman family's roots in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula stretch back to the late 1800s, where his ancestors worked as iron miners. Serving his country in uniform for 40 years, Jack has spent time all around the United States – and the world.

State Senator Kevin Daley
Sen. Kevin Daley is a fifth-generation Lapeer County farmer, a lifetime resident of the district, and the state senator for 26th District, which encompasses portions of Lapeer, Tuscola, Genesee and Saginaw counties. Daley began his career in public service as a member of the Arcadia Township planning commission. He went on to serve in the positions of trustee, treasurer, and eventually, township supervisor. He was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2008 and was chosen to serve as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; he was elected to the Senate in 2018 and previously served as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.