Leadership Done Daily

By CALF President and CEO Dwight Ferguson



Here at Ag Leadership, we receive daily alerts about alumni who are in the news. We do this to help stay informed of where and how they’re making an impact. It may be in government, business, agency or association work, or most commonly, anything production ag related. There’s never a day we do not receive multiple alerts. The reason for this is simple. 

Ag Leadership alumni are making differences every day, in part because they’re hard-wired to, and in part because they’ve developed the capacity to lead and tackle complex challenges.

For that we’re very grateful, encouraged and always excited to receive these daily alerts. 

All of us at Ag Leadership wish you and your families the merriest of holiday seasons.

As always, contact me at dferguson@agleaders.org or 831-585-1030 with any comments or questions.

Upcoming First Fridays

CLASS 52 INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR REFLECTIONS

Jan. 5 via Zoom

We are excited to kick off 2024 First Fridays with an outstanding lineup of presenters! The session will feature fellows’ reflections about the fall 2023 international seminar to Panama, Colombia and Costa Rica. Please join us for this enlightening presentation to learn about their takeaways and experiences.

Breakfast Fundraisers in February

Two of our biggest fundraisers are just weeks away – join us for great speakers and delicious breakfasts!

COLUSA FARM SHOW BREAKFAST

Feb. 7 / St. Bernadette's Hall, Colusa

Sponsorships also available

AG LEADERSHIP ALUMNI WORLD AG EXPO BREAKFAST

Feb. 15 / International Agri-Center, Tulare

Click the button to find both events, see keynote speaker details and purchase tables/tickets.

Double Your Donation!

We are halfway through the Mission 750 matching campaign and have matched nearly $125,000 so far! Let’s make the most of this incredible opportunity provided by the Otis Booth Foundation and meet the $250,000 benchmark!

The match ends on Dec. 31, so give today and make your gift go twice as far!

Class 52 Commencement

Join us as we celebrate the fellows of Class 52 on their commencement and welcome them into the alumni community!

RECEPTION & DINNER

Feb. 2

6 p.m. / Reception

7 p.m. / Dinner

Cost: $50

RSVP

jsparacino@agleaders.org / 831-585-1030

COMMENCEMENT

Feb. 3

10 a.m. / Commencement

12 p.m. / Reception

LOCATION FOR BOTH EVENTS

Fresno State campus / Satellite Student Union

2485 E. San Ramon Ave., Fresno

2024 DCX: Call for Nominations

Nominations are needed for the 2024 Washington D.C. Educational Exchange Program (D.C. Exchange), which will tour Regions 9, 10 and 11 in early fall 2024. 

Please forward names, along with emails, of qualified candidates to Judy Sparacino (HF). We will be conducting in-person interviews in D.C. and surrounding areas on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 4-6. For applicants who can only meet virtually, we will have some availability the week before to hold a limited number of interviews.  

Partial list of topics covered on the 2024 D.C. Exchange include: Water, labor/immigration, food safety, pest exclusion and management, animal husbandry, crop protection, trade, urban agricultural interface, conservation resources and environmental issues. 

I Grew with Ag Leadership

This month we feature Tou Her (45) in our campaign! Click the buttons to read the testimonial from Tou and other featured alumni. The campaign is also featured on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn – like, share and follow!

Alumni: Please Consider Volunteering

We are excited to gather Ag Leadership alumni and others for lifelong leadership learning, socializing and networking in June!

Committee planning is underway, but an event of this size needs as many volunteers as possible. Please reach out to Abby Taylor-Silva (45) (831-585-1030) if you are interested in volunteering – any role you sign up for will be helpful!

Leaders are Readers Book Club

The winter book club selection is “The Trust Edge” by David Horsager, who is the keynote speaker for the 2024 Ag Leadership Alumni World Ag Expo Breakfast. The book reveals the foundation of success – trust. Based on research, but made practical for today’s leader, it shows that trust is quantifiable and brings dramatic results to businesses and leaders.

Book club registrations are accepted at any time. Group sessions to discuss the winter book club selection will be held at the end of January.

MORE INFORMATION

Abby Taylor-Silva (45)

Call for Nominations

The Lifetime Leadership Award recognizes Ag Leadership alumni who have demonstrated leadership throughout their lifetime, thereby making a significant difference in California agriculture, their industry and community. Honorees will be recognized at the Alumni Conference in June 2024 in a hall of fame-style presentation. The focus is on alumni from Classes 1-15, but the award is open to all classes.

Update Your Alumni Directory Listing

FIRST TIME on the alumni directory: Use your primary email and click on forgot password. You will receive an email to create your new password and receive your username. If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your spam folder. RETURNING: To log in, use your username (NOT your email address). For assistance, contact Mia Mirassou / 831-585-1030.