Iowa State has deep agricultural roots. In November of 1905, Iowa State founded the Wilson Chapter of Alpha Zeta. The chapter received the name from the first Professor of Agriculture and the First Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at Iowa Agricultural College, James ‘Tama Jim’ Wilson.Today the chapter has about 60 active members, but has struggled in recent years to become an active fraternity. Because their College of Agriculture also houses the Biological sciences, the ...

Emily Zweber (South Dakota, '02) will become the AgChat Foundation's first executive director. The nonprofit AgChat Foundation (ACF) educates and equips farmers with the skills needed to effectively tell their story on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn and other social media services.Zweber, an organic dairy farmer from Elko, Minn., known to many as @ezweber on Twitter, will focus on furthering ACF's mission of connecting farmers to diverse audiences via social media platforms. She ...

Jim Thrift, Vice President of Regulatory Policy & Corporate Relations at Agricultural Retailers Association, officially retires at the end of this calendar year.Thrift has dedicated 40 years of service to the agriculture industry.The individuals who entertained the crowd at Thrift's retirement 'Roast & Toast' celebration included Karen Soule, a past coworker from American Cyanamid; Bryan Gentsch with Association Strategies; Scott Rawlins with Wilbur-Ellis, and Bill Rowland with BASF.During ...

After becoming re-chartered in 2005, the Cal Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Zeta got a fresh start and began to focus on their members needs. Six years later, the chapter has more than 50 active and alumni members.Throughout the recent years, Cal Epsilon has tuned in to what their members really seek from their involvement with Alpha Zeta. Brad Miranda, Cal Epsilon's Chancellor, says their high member involvement is due to getting members input on everything. "The more suggestions you have to help ...

Gene Frank Boyd, 74, of Warr Acres, Oklahoma, formerly of Ardmore and Tishomingo, passed away in Oklahoma City on November 1, 2011, after a lengthy illness.  A memorial service is planned at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, at the First Presbyterian Church, Ardmore, with the Rev. Dr. Rick Baggett officiating. Mr. Boyd was born October 9, 1937, in Lubbock, Texas, to Wayne and LaVey Lamb Boyd. The Boyd family made their home in Plainview, Texas, where Gene graduated from ...

Dr. Richard H. Merritt, 78, of Bridgewater, N.J., passed away Oct. 31, 2011, in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J.  Dr. Merritt leaves behind his wife, Bonnie McCay Merritt; sister, Joan Spielman; daughters, Lori Merritt, Jeanne Hertrich, and Caroline Benard; sons, Richard William and James Howard Merritt, and seven grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, those interested in making a donation may contribute to a memorial fund to benefit undergraduate ...

Matthew Paul Rowe, 24, Neosho, Mo, passed away Thursday, October 20, 2011, in Fayetteville, Ark. He was born Oct. 16, 1987, in Joplin, Mo.Matt was a lifelong area resident and a member of Jones Chapel Freewill Baptist Church. He was a graduate student at the University of Arkansas, where he was finishing his Masters degree in animal science. He was a member of Alpha Zeta fraternity, the FFA, and an outstanding transfer student of the animal science dept. at the university. He was a member of ...

As a founding member of the Cal-Eta Chapter of Alpha Zeta at California State University at Chico, one can assume that Emily Morgan was an extremely active collegiate member. When she was elected to  chapter president, Emily took it upon herself to make sure Alpha Zeta members were receiving the most out of being part of the fraternity. She connected Alpha Zeta with the agricultural career fair, helped plan a campus wide Ag Day and planned an annual fundraiser that benefited scholarship ...

The Florida Chapter of Alpha Zeta surpasses the usual events hosted by most fraternities. Just looking at their fall semester schedule can be overwhelming, but with 56 active undergraduates the Florida chapter is all about creating unique events that will demonstrate leadership, character and fellowship among members.The Florida Chapter is a diverse group with members majoring from Agronomy to Zoology and everything in between. With such a diverse group, the chapter provides many ...

John Wilson Herring, a lifelong resident of Tulia, passed away September 21, 2011, following an illness. A loving husband, father, and grandfather, John was always generous and caring for his family, friends, and employees. John was a loyal servant of the Lord, always striving to help those less fortunate. He was a deacon and active member of the First Baptist Church of Tulia.After graduating from Tulia High School in 1966, John attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, where he was ...