2024 VMAK Conference

JENNIE M. CONDRA NURSERY INSPECTOR OFFICE OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MARTIN-GATTON COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND ENVIRONMENT Jennie has served in her position on a full-time basis since 2012, and worked on a part-time basis for three years prior to that. She has an extensive knowledge of the various insect pests that are threats to Kentucky, and a few other pests that are also threatening. Jennie earned her both Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture and her Master of Science Degree in Entomology from the University of Kentucky.

DR. PAUL L. BREWSTER, PhD DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OSMOSE UTILITIES SERVICES Paul Brewster started his career as a Crew Member with Osmose Utility Services in 1995. Since that time, he has held several positions within the company, including Foreman, Certified Field Trainer for prospective foremen, and Director of Sales. He is personally familiar with most industry-standard methods of pole inspection, treatment, and restoration. During his career with Osmose, he has worked on transmission and distribution systems in over twelve states, inspecting, treating or restoring tens of thousands of poles. His field experiences include inspecting, treating, and restoring poles dating back almost thirty (30) years. Presently, Paul serves as a Director of Business Development for the cooperative and municipal markets in Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, a Master of Divinity Degree, and a PhD Degree in Systematic Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as an Assistant Professor of Religion at Liberty University. Paul resides in Madison, IN with his wide Debbie. He and his wife have four grown children and are enjoying spoiling their eight grandchildren.

DR. AMANDA ABNEE GUMBERT, PhD EXTENSION WATER QUALITY SPECIALIST UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE MARTIN-GATTON COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCE Dr. Gumbert attributes her passion for agriculture and natural resources to growing up on a farm in Northeastern Kentucky, which she now owns and manages with her husband and young son. She has provided twenty-two (22) years of service to the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Dr. Gumbert earned both her Bachelor of Science Degree and her Master of Science Degree in Plant and Soil Science, and her PhD Degree in Soil Science, all from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Gumbert was named a Certified Master Environmental Educator, and she received several awards for educational materials from the American Society for Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals (2017, 2019, 2020, 2023); the Conservation Person of the Year from Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts (2015), the Robert A. Lauderdale Award for Outstanding Contributions in Water Quality from the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute (2011), and she was a recipient of a VMAK scholarship during undergraduate studies at UK (1998).

DR. J. D. GREEN, PhD EXTENSION PROFESSOR (WEED SCIENTIST) UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MARTIN-GATTON COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES A native of Madison County, Kentucky, Dr. J.D. Green obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy (1981) and his Master of Science Degree in Crop Science (1983) from the University of Kentucky. He received a PhD. degree in Crop Science from Oklahoma State University with an emphasis in Weed Science in 1986. Dr. Green began his professional career as an Extension Weed Scientist at the University of Kentucky where he has had 38 years of experience. His major job responsibilities include developing and disseminating weed control recommendations that impact Kentucky’s grain and forage crops including non-cropland areas. Dr. Green’s research program has focused on weed control strategies to deal with troublesome weeds that affect agricultural crops and other land uses. He has helped coordinate and facilitate field schools and participated in pest management programs for pesticide applicators, Certified Crop Advisors, and other crop and land use consultants. He has been an active member of the North Central Weed Science Society where he served as President and received the Fellow Award from this professional organization. He has also been a member of the Weed Science Society of America and the Southern Weed Science Society.

TRAVIS ROGERS PORTIFOLIO BUSINESS LEADER NUTRIEN SOLUTIONS Travis is the Portfolio Business Leader for the U.S. Vegetation Management business for Nutrien Solutions. His responsibilities include managing the people and products for the U.S. vegetation management business. He works with many cross functional teams to support their sales, service, and operations across the United States Travis earned both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Business and a Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He has nineteen (19) years of experience working with energy and transportation companies, federal and state agencies, conservation groups, and service contractors within the rights-of-way industry. He worked for Corteva and its heritage companies (DowElanco, DowAgroSciences) for 26.5 years and now has been with Nutrien Solutions for one (1) year. Travis serves on the board of the ROW Stewardship Council, the Urban Arborists Association, the Environmental Stewardship Committee, and is past chairman of the Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management 2022 Symposium. Over the course of his career Travis has actively participated in the vegetation management industry by serving on various UAA committees, contributing multiple articles for T&D World magazine, and presented at numerous vegetation management conferences around the country. He is a UAA and S ISA member, a Certified Arborist and Pesticide Applicator, and a past president of NCVMA and SCVMA. He resides in Charleston, SC with his wife and three children.

DAVID TAYLOR FOREST BOTANIST USDA FOREST SERVICE DANIEL BOONE NATIONAL FOREST David has worked for the Daniel Boone National Forest for almost thirty-five (35) years working with non-native plant species that are established and with others that are newly emerging. He has worked with rare species and invasive species through surveys and management processes and has written portions of environmental documents and reviewed numerous others. David earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology/Agriculture from Berea College, his Master of Science Degree in Biology with a Botany Emphasis from Northeast Louisiana University, and earned thirty (30+0 hours of Botany credit from Miami University. David has worked with Environmental Analyses and Categorial Exclusions as well as a few Environmental Impact Statements. He makes a variety of presentations to professional organizations, NGOs and school groups, and he has written numerous agreements with state agencies and NGOs, and currently manages around a dozen agreements. He was named a Certified Region Forest Service Pesticide Applicator

CHRISTINA (CHRISTY) R. WAMPLER STATE BIOLOGIST NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) UNITED STATES DEPARTENT OF AGRICULTURE Christy has worked for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service since June of 2022, when she was hired as the NRCS State Biologist for Kentucky. Prior to that she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Conservation Biology and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Muskingum University in southeastern Ohio. She then completed her Master of Science Degree in Wildlife Biology at New Mexico State University. Over the years she has worked for state government, universities, non-profits, and the federal government with a variety of wildlife species ranging from black bears, cheetahs, jaguars, African wild dogs, and rhinos to small mammals, bats, copperheads, hellbenders, and American burying beetles, just to name a few. Christy came to NRCS by way of the US Forest Service, where she spent eleven (11) years working in New Mexico, Arizona, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Most recently she was the District Biologist on the Cumberland Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest until joining NRCS. She is on the Executive Board of the Kentucky Chapter of The Wildlife Society and is active in several other professional organizations. She also serves in the Air National Guard, having spent 14 years enlisted as an aircraft mechanic in the electro-environmental systems shop, before commissioning in 2019 as a Logistics Officer. She is currently a Captain, stationed at Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio.

DR. TAMMY HORN POTTER, PhD STATE APIARIST KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE The role that Dr. Potter plays as the State Apiarist is to identify and eradicate infectious disease in honeybee colonies, help to educate the non-beekeeping public about the importance of honeybees, and offers best advice practices to the beekeeping community. Tammy earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Berea College, a Master of Arts Degree from Fort Hays State University, and a PhD in English from the University of Alabama. Tammy has been employed as the State Apiarist for the Department of Agriculture for 9.5 years. In addition to getting pollinator habitat established on four (4) surface mine sites from 2008-2014, she worked for Big Island Queen Bees for 4.5 years, and has been a beekeeper since 1997. Tammy has also received the 2010 North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Advocate of the Year Award, and the 2021 Charles and Evelyn Divelbiss Award for Education from the Eastern Apiculture Society.

RANDALL DENHART NATIONAL KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER ENVU – KAM VEGETATION MANAGEMENT Randy is an Experienced Sales Account Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Chemicals Industry. He is Skilled in Negotiation, Customer Service, Account Management, Strategic Planning, and Business Development. He is a strong Sales Professional. Randy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Purdue University. Randy began his career after college by investing in full time farming on his family farm in Central Indiana, where he still lives and operates the showpig farm with his son. The farming operation morphed into him getting involved in agri-business ventures to assist the farmers in the area by providing ag seeds, feed and no-till equipment through his sales venture. This led him to the opportunity to be involved in integrated vegetation management initially with the Townsend Chemical Division of Townsend Tree Service, Inc. and with several other similar companies over a twenty-five-year career. With his involvement in vegetation management, he has worked with electric utility companies, electric coops, gas transmission companies, highway DOT agencies, railroad companies, and integration with experts from land grant universities, Randy provided guidance, assistance, and support throughout the many areas of the country that he served. He was involved in the efforts of the vegetation management associations in the states inside his territory and has served on the Boards of Directors of several of these associations. He was also elected as President of the Indiana Arborists Association, the Tennessee Vegetation Management Association, and the Vegetation Management Association of Kentucky (VMAK).

RONALD ‘SCOTT’ WRIGHT TERRITORY MANAGER CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE Scott has been involved in the vegetation management industry for over twenty (20) years. The first half of his career was focused on roadside herbicide research at Mississippi State University working mainly with the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Scott earned both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Golf and Turfgrass Management and a Master of Science Degree in Weed Science from Mississippi State University, After leaving MSU, he has spent time in cooperate sales, marketing, and commercial operations with Dow AgriScience, Corteva AgriScience and Edko, LLC. He currently is the is Corteva AgriScience Territory Manager covering Kentucky and the Midwest (TN, IL, IN, MI, and OH).

FORREST WYNNE STATE EXTENSION SPECIALIST FOR AQUACULTURE KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM Forrest has managed a combined Aquaculture Extension Program with North Carolina State University and Kentucky State University for the past thirty-six (36) years and continues to serve in that capacity. Forrest earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 1983, and a Master of Science Degree in Fisheries Management from Mississippi State University in 1987. He was recently awarded a Distinguished Service Award by the United States Aquaculture Society in February of 2023. Forrest has responsibilities to design, coordinate and implement the Aquaculture Extension education programs in Kentucky, cooperate with aquaculture research and extension personnel, fisheries and wildlife biologists, soil scientists, secondary educators, farmers, landowners and other individuals regarding aquaculture and pond and lake management. These responsibilities are also to provide aquatic plant and algae identification and control programs for commercial pesticide applicators and private pond and lake owners, conduct aquaculture, lake management and water quality workshops and demonstrations, prepare, and review research and Extension literature relevant to aquaculture and pond and lake management in Kentucky, and to disseminate Extension information to other agencies and to the public.

ROY ‘BRAD’ SMITH PESTICIDE LICENSING AND COMPLIANCE BRANCH MANAGER DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES KENTUCKY DEPARTENT OF AGRICULTURE Brad Smith currently serves as the Pesticide Licensing and Compliance Branch Manager for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and has been with the Pesticides Division for 13 years. Brad also has over 15 years of experience in the turf grass industry with the City of Bowling Green Parks Department and with the Louisville Bats Triple A minor league affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Brad attended Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. He also attended Sullivan University in Louisville where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management in 2008, a Master of Science Degree in Management in 2014, and a Master of Business Administration Degree in 2018.

DR. WILLIAM (BILL) W. WITT, PhD (RETIRED) PROFESSOR EMERITUS UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MARTIN-GATTON COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES Bill served the College in both teaching and extension disciplines for more than thirty-eight (38) years. Bill earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy from Oklahoma State University in 1969, a Master of Science Degree in Agronomy with an emphasis in Weed Science, also from Oklahoma State University in 1971, and his doctorate (PhD) Degree in Crop Science with an emphasis in Weed Science from North Carolina State University in 1974. Bill was deeply involved in getting the VMAK Association established and served as Chair of the VMAK Advisory Committee for many years. He also was in attendance at the kick-off meeting of the Association in the early 1980’s, and is still involved to this day. He volunteered for the presentation that he is sharing during this 44th Annual Meeting.

LEWIS P. BRADLEY TECHNICAL SALES SPECIALIST BAYER CROP SCIENCE LP Lewis has been involved in the crop protection industry for forty-four (44) years starting his career in Mitchell South Dakota, then moving to Dekalb, Illinois, and to his current location in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He is very passionate about helping farmers raise their crops in a profitable manner while teaching them how to be good stewards of the environment and to their neighbors. Lewis earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry, with a minor in Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky in 1980. Lewis is currently the President of the Agribusiness Association of Kentucky, and is a certified Crop Advisor. He has received numerous sales excellence awards throughout his career with the various companies he was associated with.