MACA Honors Industry Vision, Dean Roy Achievement Award Winners

The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) presented the association’s Industry Vision Award and Dean Roy Achievement Award at its annual meeting held virtually September 17, 2021.

The Industry Vision Award was presented to Brad Reed, Kova Fertilizer. The award is presented to an individual who’s devoted their career to promoting and protecting the interests of the entire crop protection industry, which supports American and Midwestern agriculture, and has shown leadership roles within their company and in other industry-wide organizations.

Advertisement

Brad’s leadership and support includes encouraging KOVA’s support and attendance at the MACA Annual Meetings; participation by KOVA employees to serve on MACA committees as well as serve on the board of directors. KOVA has maintained their MACA membership for 38 years, starting in 1983. KOVA agriculture area covers three states – Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.

Top Articles
BASF Launches SCNFields.com to Raise Awareness of Soybean Cyst Nematode Populations

Brad represents the third generation in KOVA’s business and is nurturing the fourth generation into the involvement, active participation, and support of MACA. Brad has worked at Kova Fertilizer, Inc. for 50 plus years and has been receiving a paycheck for 40. After Purdue University he and his brothers joined the company as the third generation. During the 80’s and early 90’s with their father, Richard (Dick) Reed, began expanding their wholesale, retail and farming footprint. They, also, began ventures into bulk chemical warehousing and ag financing.

Brad has been and participates in many local and state associations and youth programs. He believes “People do business with people” and thus encourages his employees to be involved in their communities. It is more important today, than any other time, ag is essential and we need to share.

“The most important reason for Kova companies’ success is their people,” Brad says. He and his brothers let their employees take responsibility and ownership of their facilities or territories.

As for the fourth generation of Reeds, today, eight of eleven of their children are involved in the businesses and they believe the future is positive.

Dick Reed, Brad’s father, received this award in 2011. The Reed family, with Brad’s continued leadership, remains dedicated to agriculture based on eight core values and provide a network of agribusiness products and services thru allied businesses.

MACA President Lindsey Jackson presented the association’s most coveted award, the Dean Roy Achievement Award, to Michael Lehman, AMVAC, at its recent virtual annual meeting. The award is named in honor of one of the organization’s founders, for “Exceptional Service to MACA and the CropLife Industry,” for their contributions of selfless service. Jackson cited Lehman’s service to the association where he has served as a member of the Annual Meeting Committee and in 2020 became chair of the first ever virtual meeting. Lehman has also made presentations to school children as a member of the CropLife Ambassador Network and worked to recruit members.

Lehman assisted with the AV while at the annual meeting for several years, then became a member of the committee plus attends quarterly meetings. The past two years Lehman has stepped up to make sure the virtual meeting took place and worked tirelessly to coordinate speakers, sponsors and engage the members virtually.

“It’s not been easy with COVID,” stated Jackson, “but Mike accepted the challenge and worked to make the 2020 annual meeting a success and he’s back at it for 2021. We were all learning the different platforms and how to make it work. Mike spent a great deal of time assisting with recording speakers, suggesting topics as well as asking for support of MACA – in many different ways. He’s helpful and does it all with a positive attitude. He’s the kind of person who adapts to change and helps everyone move forward by making them comfortable.”

Michael Lehman is the 40th person to receive the Dean Roy Achievement Award.

0
Advertisement