INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, April 28, 2026/National FFA Organization) – The National FFA Foundation recently announced its new 2026 Sponsors’ Board members. The board is made up of top corporate executives who wish to support agricultural education and the National FFA Organization. During their three years of service, board members play a vital role in advising National FFA on opportunities to improve agricultural educational programs, secure funding, and seek continued development of the next generation of leaders.

Rob Stewart has been named the 2026 Sponsors’ Board Chair. Currently serving as Strategy Acceleration Leader for Cargill Food North America, Stewart joined Cargill Corporate Ventures in 2008 and has held a variety of roles, including plant operations, strategy and business development, sales management, M&A integration, and commercial leadership positions in Cargill’s Food, Animal Nutrition, and Ag & Trading businesses. Stewart is also a former agricultural education teacher and holds a Bachelor of Science in agriculture and a Master of Science in agricultural education from the University of Kentucky, as well as an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

“FFA plays a vital role in developing the interpersonal skills students need to succeed in careers in agriculture,” said Stewart. “As a former ag teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how FFA builds confident leaders, and that’s why serving as chair of the Sponsors’ Board and supporting National FFA matters so much. It’s about empowering students and preparing them to shape the future of agriculture.”

Stewart said the board’s priorities this year include member skill development (communication, decision-making, problem-solving), member engagement and leadership and character development.

In addition to Stewart being named the board chair, the following new board members were announced:

• Holly Bauman, Chief of Staff and Culture Lead, PTx, AGCO Corporation
• Alison Demmer, Senior Marketing Manager, Culver’s
• Seth Derner, Chief Revenue Officer and senior strategist, Vivayic
• Joe Fell, VP Merch Presentation Promotions & Events, Tractor Supply Company
• Tom Hooper, Director of Business, Beck’s Hybrids
• Ben Kampelman, North America Australia New Zealand Communications Lead for the Crop Science division at Bayer
• Brandon Lairmore, Executive Vice President—U.S. Rendering Operations, Darling Ingredients
• Casey Miller, Senior Executive Vice President of Sales, Fastenal
• Joe Miller, Vice President of CNH Parts Commercial and Operations for North America
• Mark Orr, Chief Executive Officer, GROWMARK, Inc.
• Rick Patton, Executive VP, Agriculture Sales & Marketing, RFD-TV Network
• Michael Rainwater, General Manager, Hog Production, Smithfield Foods
• Naria Santa Lucia, General Manager of Elevate, Microsoft Corporation
• Jamey Smart, Vice President of North America Firestone Ag at Bridgestone Americas

“The future of agriculture is in the hands of our students, and the National FFA Foundation is built so that our partnerships with individuals, business and industry allow us to further secure resources for the future of agricultural education and FFA,” said Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation. “I look forward to the success of our new board and how they’ll continue to bring immense growth to the foundation.”

The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,042,245 student members as part of 9,407 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,042,245 student members as part of 9,407 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook and Twitter.

About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations, and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders, and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees composed of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA Alumni, the foundation is a separately registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.