Officers and Chairs Handbook

This document describes the duties and/or responsibilities of all Officers, Executive Committees, and Section Chairs, including terms of service and important deadlines Information on awards for Members and Students is also included in this document.

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                                                   2025 Officers, Chairs and Committees

Officers

• • • • President – Sarah White (Clemson University)

    • • President-Elect – Jeb Fields (University of Florida)

    • • President – Elect – Elect – to be elected Fall 2025

    • • Secretary/Treasurer – David W. Reed

 Executive Committee

• • • • Chair – Cheryl Boyer (Kansas State University)

    • • Vice-Chair – Daniel wells (Auburn University)

    • • Previous Chair – Julie Campbell (University of Georgia)

    • • Previous Vice-Chair – Chris Gunter (University of Florida)

    • • Member – Heather Kirk-Ballard ((Louisiana State University)

    • • Member – Patricia Knight (Mississippi State University)

    • • Member – to be elected Fall 2025

    • • Member – to be elected Fall 2025

    • • Member, President – elect – Sarah White (Clemson University)

 Nominating Committee

• • • • Chair, Senior Retired President – Elina Coneva (Auburn University

    • • Member, Immediate Past President – Christine Coker (Mississippi State University)

    • • Member – Amanda McWhirt (University of Arkansas)

    • • Member – Andre da Silva (Auburn University)

    • • Member – to be appointed

    • • Member – to be appointed

• • • • President – Aidan Souter (Texas A&M University)

      • Vice President – Tristen Taylor – (Texas A&M University)

      • Secretary – Ananiah Barbee – (Southern Illinois University)

 Section Chairs

• • • • Education – Lorenzo Rossi (Texas A&M University)

    • • Extension – Kathryn Fontenot (Louisiana State University)

    • • Floriculture, Ornamentals, and Turf – Andrew King (Texas A&M University)

    • • Fruit Crops – Renee Threlfall (University of Arkansas)

    • • Postharvest/Biotechnology – Marlee Trandel-Hayse (Auburn University)

    • • Vegetable Crops – Timothy Coolong (University of Georgia)

    • • Poster Section – Anthony Bowden (University of Arkansas) 

    • • Edmond Undergraduate Collegiate Branch Scholarship – Kaitlin Hopkins (Sam Houston State University)

    • • Childers & Barham Graduate Student Competition – Jeb Fields (Louisiana State University)

Working Group Chairs

• • • • Horticultural Administrators – Chris Gunter (University of Florida)

    • • National Sweet Potato Collaborators – Tristan Watson (Louisiana State University)

    • • Southern Fruit Workers – Co- Chairs – Rachel Itle, Amanda McWhirter  

    • • Watermelon Research Group – Co-Chairs – Bryan Ward, Josh Freeman

    • • Vice-Chair – Melissa Acevedi

Awards Committees

Miller Distinguished Educator

• • • • Chair-Carolyn Robinson (Auburn University)

      • Member – Bruce Dunn (Oklahoma State)

      • Member – Catherine Simson (Texas Tech University)

Miller Distinguished Researcher

• • • • Chair – Kevin Crosby

      • Member – Daniel Leskovar (Texas A&M University)

 Covington Extension Award

• • • • Chair – Mark Hoffman (North Carolina State University)

    • • Member – Cheryl Boyer (Kansas State University)

    • • Member – Tim Coolong (University of Georgia)

Hutchinson Young Extension 

• • • • Chair – Andre da Silva (Auburn University)

    • • Member – Jeb Fields (University of Florida)

    • • Damon Abdi (Louisiana State University)

Krezdorn Doctoral Writing

• • • • Chair – Katherine Jennnings (North Carolina State University)

      • Member – Penny Perkins-Veazie (North Carolina State University)

      •  Member – Catherine Simpson (Texas Tech University)

Smeal Leadership

• • • • Chair – Daniel Leskovar (Texas A&M University)

    • • Member- Shad Nelson (Texas A&M University)

    • • Member – Leo Lombardini (University of Georgia)

Extension Communications

• • • • Chair – Jim DelPrince (Mississippi State University)

    • • Member – Ping Yu (University of Georgia)

    • • Member – Damon Abdi (university of Florida)

Childers Outstanding Graduate Student

• • • • Chair – Christine Coker (Mississippi State University)

      • Member – Sarah White (Clemson University)

      • Member – Jeb Fields (University of Florida)

Outstanding ACB Club and Club Member

• • • • Gerald Burgner (Texas A&M University)