Thank you for supporting GreenSeam! We hope you enjoy our speakers, the delicious food, cold drinks and the MoonDogs game!
Program/Table Sponsor
We are excited to welcome Investor, Christensen Farms to the Celebration of Ag where they have partnered with South Central MN Food Recovery to help support a great cause! Stop by the Christensen Farm booth, ask an ag related question and 1 pound of pork will be donated to SCMFR! Please be sure to get your tickets to the Celebration of Ag, stop by the Christensen Farms booth, and help provide meals for those in need.
Agenda:
4:00 pm – Gate Opens / Registration
4:45 pm – Program / Speakers
5:30 pm – Happy Hour / Networking
6:35 pm – Mankato MoonDogs vs. Minnesota Mud Puppies Game
Speakers:
Sam Ziegler, GreenSeam Director
Brynn Bohlke, Senior at Mankato West High School
Paul Peterson, Superintendent, Mankato Public Schools
Shane Bowyer, Associate Professor of Management, Director of AgriBusiness & Food Innovation Program, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Megan Roberts, Executive Director, Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence
Gary Koch, GreenSeam Chair, Christensen Farms
Brynn Bohlke
Senior at Mankato West High School
Brynn is a senior from Mankato West High School. She is active in Mankato FFA, Waseca County 4H, the American Dairy Goat Association, and the Mankato West Ski team. Brynn breeds and shows Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats, and earlier this year was awarded a $1,000 dollar grant for her project from the National FFA organization. She also competes in the FFA dairy judging career development event, Brynn has also competed in the crops identification, creed speaking, employment skills, and discussion contests through FFA. Brynn has served her chapter as president for two year and newly as Vice President in the area of “strengthening agriculture” along with the Minnesota region 7 officer team as a reporter. Brynn is passionate about agriculture and enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion with others.
Paul Peterson
Superintendent, Mankato Area Public Schools
Paul Peterson began his role as superintendent of Mankato Area Public Schools (MAPS) on July 1, 2019. Prior to arriving in MAPS, he served as the superintendent of Saint Peter Public Schools, a position he held for five years from 2014 to 2019. During his time in Saint Peter, he served as a member of Green Seam’s education subcommittee and now serves on the Greater Mankato Growth board of directors.
A native of Annandale, MN, Paul graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in social studies education. His first teaching job was at Monticello High School (Monticello, MN) where he coached girls basketball, baseball and softball. From 2003 to 2014, he served as the high school principal for Saint Peter High School. He earned his masters degree from Saint Cloud State University, his principal and superintendent licenses from Minnesota State University-Mankato, and his doctorate from Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Paul and his spouse Kari live in North Mankato and have two adult children, Evan and Isaac.
Dr. Shane Bowyer
Associate Professor of Management, Director of AgriBusiness & Food Innovation Program, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Dr. Shane Bowyer is the AgriBusiness & Food Innovation Director and associate professor of Management at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In this role he has developed a new agribusiness major, minor and the Henze Ag Innovators Leadership Develop program. The past seven years Bowyer has been involved with business and talent initiatives with GreenSeam. He has helped conduct the annual State of Ag report for the organization. His research interests are in ag and food career development for undergraduates.
In previous roles at Minnesota State, Bowyer was the Institutional Director for Strategic Partnerships and started the MSU Global Entrepreneurship Center. Prior to returning to Minnesota State, Bowyer was the Glen Taylor Chair of Business and Leadership at Bethany Lutheran College. Bowyer also started three businesses.
Megan Roberts
Executive Director, Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence
Dr. Megan Roberts serves as the Executive Director of the Minnesota State Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence. The Center serves high schools, colleges and universities across southern Minnesota and has offices at South Central College in North Mankato. Megan has previously served as an Extension educator in Ag Business Management for University of Minnesota and as an Agribusiness Instructor for South Central College. She holds a bachelors, masters, and doctorate in agriculture related disciplines and has focused much of her post-grad studies on farm policy and financial planning. She resides with her family in rural Madelia on a farrow-to-finish hog and crop farm.