Directory

Dan Azzara

Dan recently retired from Penn State as the Alan R. Warehime Faculty Chair in Agribusiness. Before his time at Penn State, Dan was employed by The Hershey Company for 26 years, where he retired as Sr. Vice President of Global Research and Development.

Dan received his Ph.D. in Food Science from Penn State in 1986 and has been an active alumnus since graduation. His areas of affinity within the college include entrepreneurship, food innovation, agricultural business management, and environmental/social responsibility.

MeeCee Baker

Dr. Baker owns Versant Strategies, a governmental relations firm focused on agricultural, environmental, and rural issues. Versant has represented dozens of clients in the Harrisburg and the D.C. marketplace, ranging from small farms and businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

Previously, she served in the executive office of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. While there, she directed the educational outreach for the Department using the knowledge and skills gained from 20 years behind a teacher's desk in the Greenwood High School Agriculture Department. Baker served as a faculty member at Penn State, an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University, and was the first woman elected president of the National Association of Agricultural Educators.

Dr. Baker was named an Alumni Fellow at Penn State and delivered the commencement address at a College of Agricultural Sciences spring graduation. She also received the prestigious Medal of Honor Award in February 2022 from the Philadelphia Society for the Promotion of Agriculture (PSPA), the oldest (1785) continuously operating agricultural society in the country. She holds a master's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Delaware, and a Ph.D. in agricultural education from Penn State.

MeeCee and her husband, Jim Garofalo, a retired PA State Police Major, live on the Baker homestead farm in Juniata County. Her daughter, Libby, a Lutheran pastor, was a former State FFA President and Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences graduate.

Andy Bater

Bater is a fourth-generation Pennsylvania farmer and a nationally recognized advocate for agricultural innovation, conservation, and rural policy. He serves as the District 6 Director on the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's State Board, representing Centre, Clinton, and Lycoming counties. In this role, he chairs the Wildlife and Fisheries Committee, where he leads statewide efforts to address crop damage, promote sustainable land management, and shape wildlife policy.

Bater owns and operates Fifth Estate Growers LLC, a diversified farm near State College, Pennsylvania. His operation specializes in cultivating switchgrass on marginal land, which is sold to strawberry growers for mulch and used in biofuel research by Penn State University. He also manages avian habitat restoration projects focused on two threatened warbler species and maintains 50 acres of protected forest, reflecting his deep commitment to environmental stewardship.

Before returning to agriculture full-time, Bater built a distinguished career in television engineering, working on digital broadcast technologies, regulatory affairs, and disaster recovery. He played key roles in restoring broadcast infrastructure following Hurricane Katrina and the September 11 attacks, and contributed to the development of national broadcast standards during the transition to digital television.

His unique blend of technical expertise and agricultural insight led to his appointment to the Federal Communications Commission's Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture, where he works on rural broadband access, AI in agriculture, and digital equity. He also chairs the Technology Issues Advisory Committee for the American Farm Bureau Federation, helping shape national policy on emerging technologies in farming.

In 2022, Bater was appointed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to the Pennsylvania Farm Service Agency State Committee, and by Governor Tom Wolf to the Advisory Committee for the Pennsylvania Food Policy Council, recognizing his leadership in food systems and rural development.

Beyond his professional roles, Bater is a registered yoga instructor with advanced training in mental health and religious studies. He serves on the DEIA Advisory Council for the AgriSafe Network, a national nonprofit focused on reducing health disparities in agricultural communities. He frequently speaks on farm stress and rural mental health, including at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and through Penn State Extension.

Bater and his wife, Chris, have been married since 1981 and have one adult daughter. His life's work reflects a deep commitment to agriculture, environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and community well-being.

Darryl Blakey

Darryl Blakey is currently in a Manager, Government Affairs position at BASF Corporation, based in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Blakey was the Associate Director for U.S. Government Affairs with FMC Corporation. In this role, he was responsible for crafting the engagement strategy with government officials, regulatory bodies, and business organizations across North America. Along with other strategic initiatives, Blakey assisted senior executives with potential opportunities to mitigate risk and increase commercial growth.

Before that, Blakey served as Policy Advisor to Chairman Heath P. Tarbert and as the Associate Director of the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Mr. Blakey advised the chairman and other senior executives on policy, regulation, and legislative initiatives. Before joining the CFTC in 2020, Blakey was the Associate Director of Legislative Affairs and Market Regulatory Policy for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). He advised the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership on derivative market policy. Blakey was the lead representative for the association with Congress, financial institutions, and key executive branch agencies. At NCBA, Blakey also managed the marketing committee and served on the CFTC's FACA Agricultural Advisory Committee.

From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Blakey served at the House Committee on Agriculture, where he assisted with the Committee's business in the oversight of the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Blakey has his B.S. in Animal Science with a minor in Agribusiness Management from Penn State and a Master's in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School with specializations in Investments & Public-Private Sector Leadership. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. from Tuskegee University in Integrative Public Policy & Development.

Jeff Conrad

Conrad formed AgIS Capital (AgIS) in 2013 as an investment firm focused on acquiring and managing farmland and related operating companies. Based in Boston, AgIS has raised and invested over a billion dollars of capital since inception and focuses on the United States market. The current portfolio includes walnut, almond, pistachio, vineyard, olive, cherry, apple, and pear assets. He is majority owner of AgIS, Board Director and serves as the Chair of the Investment Committee.

Prior to founding AgIS, Conrad founded the Hancock Agricultural Investment Group (HAIG) in 1990, a division of the Hancock Natural Resource Group (HNRG) and grew it to over two billion dollars in real estate and capital before his retirement in September 2011. HAIG, recognized as a leading institutional farmland manager with assets in the U.S., Australia, and Canada, is a major producer of almonds, walnuts, cranberries, apples, pistachios and macadamia nuts and also maintains a diversified portfolio of annual properties located throughout the United States. Prior to HAIG, he served the Reagan Administration as an Agricultural Budget and Policy Analyst.

Conrad served on the Board of Directors and Investment Committee for HNRG, a farmland and timberland manager with over $10 billion of global assets under management, and was the President of Hancock FARM, an Australian-based agricultural property manager. He also served as an advisor for the HNRG 401K program, Board Director of Silverado Premium Properties - a producer of premium California winegrapes with over $500 million of vineyards, and Board Director of the California Olive Ranch, the largest United States olive oil producer. He also served on the Cornell University Agricultural Advisory Committee and is a former Board member of the Farm Foundation, where he provided investment guidance on its $30 million endowment

Conrad holds a Bachelor of Science with distinction in Agricultural Business Management from the Pennsylvania State University and a master's in science in Agricultural Economics, with a concentration in finance from Cornell University.

Conrad is a widely recognized expert on agricultural investing, and his opinions and views have been captured in many publications, including Barron's, the Financial Times, Institutional Investor, the New Your Times, Pensions & Investments, Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also been featured on BBC, CNBC, TV Tokyo and Bloomberg News. His charitable giving focus includes 4-H, LGBTQ and rural efforts.

Bill Curran

Dr. Bill Curran is an Emeritus Professor and Extension Weed Specialist in Plant Science at Penn State University, where he served from 1990. He had an extension-research split and traveled the Commonwealth, providing weed management education in agronomic crops. Dr. Curran conducted research in weed biology and ecology, integrated weed management, and weed management in conservation tillage systems, including managing cover crops.

Dr. Curran retired from Penn State in 2018 and moved to Bozeman, MT, where he still serves as an Affiliate Professor in the Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Department at Montana State University. Dr. Curran has been involved in many professional activities, including serving on the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) Board of Directors and as the 2020/2021 President. He is also the former President and Executive Committee member for the Northeastern Weed Science Society (NEWSS). Dr. Curran regularly served on USDA grant panel review teams and is currently on the Administrative Council for USDA Western SARE.

He remains a member of WSSA and is currently active in the MT Weed Control Association, Western Society of Weed Science, and on the MT Dep. Ag. Noxious Weed Mgt. Advisory Council. Dr. Curran was the recipient of several awards, including the WSSA Outstanding Extension Award, NEWSS Fellow, Outstanding Educator, WSSA Outstanding Paper in Weed Technology, and was a past Outstanding Member of the Year for the Pennsylvania Agronomic Education Society.

While at Penn State, Dr. Curran collaborated with many wonderful colleagues, students, and stakeholders. A former Department Head once told him early in his career that being a professor and faculty member at Penn State was the "best job in the world." After working at Penn State for almost 30 years, he couldn't agree more; seeing students and the agricultural community have opportunities and success is extremely rewarding.

Daniel J. Eichenlaub

Daniel J. Eichenlaub, co-founder and president of Eichenlaub Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a premier, upscale, design-build landscape construction firm. He was also a co-founder of AgRecycle, a composting company, and a founding principal of LandOpt, which provides managed business processes to landscape contracting companies. Progressing toward a retirement exit, Eichenlaub, with others, created Perennial Services Group, backed by private equity, to assemble premium residential green industry brands throughout the United States.

Eichenlaub, Inc. and LandOpt were rolled into the group as charter members. Dan currently works on the board of directors.

Eichenlaub and his brothers established Eichenlaub Brothers in 1972 to help neighbors clean up after a hurricane. Their success over the years helped them fund their college educations and inspired Eichenlaub to pursue a career in entrepreneurship. Eichenlaub took over leadership of the company in 1980, forming Eichenlaub Inc., and earned the Entrepreneurial Leadership Certificate from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.

Eichenlaub has been a member and leader of several industry boards, advisory boards, committees, and task forces, has received numerous professional awards throughout his career, and serves as an advocate for the land-grant mission at the University and state level. His professional expertise has also enabled him to positively impact the College of Agricultural Sciences in myriad ways.

He was a volunteer business consultant for Penn State Extension's modernization of its operational and business infrastructure, is a member of the college's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Advisory Board and has been an ally in the state's and college's efforts against the invasive spotted lanternfly.

Philanthropy is an important aspect of Eichenlaub's life. He has established a scholarship, program endowment, and an apprenticeship program in the college, and served as co-chair of the college's Volunteer Development Council during the most recent campaign.

Eichenlaub was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award by Penn State in 2022 and is a member of the Armsby Honor Society. Eichenlaub, a lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association, lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Barbara.

Sharon Fenchak

As a child, Sharon Fenchak spent many Sunday afternoons visiting her grandparents, all of whom lived within driving distance of her home in Pennsylvania. Her grandmothers, in particular, were closely connected to the land and enjoyed feeding family and friends from the bounty of their gardens.

Their influence fueled Fenchak's growing interest in agriculture and food science, a focus she maintained even as a Communications Specialist in the United States Army. While stationed in Vicenza, Italy, she discovered an appreciation for the wines of the region—particularly the bubbly muscato for which the area is noted.

After returning to the states, Fenchak earned a bachelor's degree in food science ('97) from Penn State University, followed by a master's degree ('99) in the same field from the University of Georgia at Athens. With a deepening interest in the science of winemaking, she sought work as an assistant winemaker at Habersham Winery in Baldwin, Georgia, under the wing of winemaker Andrew Beaty. With skills gained from that experience, she became a winemaker at Chestnut Mountain Winery in Braselton, Georgia, where she oversaw the wine development process.

In 1999, Fenchak joined Biltmore's winery production team as assistant winemaker to veteran French winemaker Bernard Delille. Despite their different backgrounds, they shared a philosophy of creating high-quality wines that reflect true varietal character while still being food-friendly and approachable. In addition to making wines, her role featured research on several grape clones and grape-production testing methods for the estate.

Fenchak was promoted to winemaker in 2003 and continued handcrafting high-quality wines worthy of the finest Biltmore traditions of taste and style. In 2016, Sharon completed her MBA through Western Carolina University to have a better understanding of running a wine business.

In 2018, Fenchak became Biltmore's head winemaker and vice president of winery production, which includes oversight of winemaking, the estate's vineyard and partnerships with west coast growers.

Presently, Fenchak serves Biltmore Winery in the role of Executive Winemaker, focusing on wine quality, product improvement, fruit sourcing and process improvements. For the future, she hopes to continue building the tradition of the Biltmore brand among wine enthusiasts locally, nationally, and globally.

Abe Harpster

Abe Harpster is a dedicated dairy farmer and agricultural leader from Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania. A 1994 graduate of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, he earned his B.S. in Agricultural Business Management and has since built a thriving farming operation alongside his two brothers. Their enterprise spans Huntingdon and Centre Counties, managing 3,700 dairy cows and 3,900 heifers raised in Pennsylvania and Kansas, while cultivating several thousand acres of corn, soybeans, small grains, alfalfa, and timber.

Harpster is deeply committed to agricultural education and leadership. During his time at Penn State, he served as the College of Ag student representative to the Undergraduate Student Government and as the USG representative to the University Faculty Senate. He was also a Pennsylvania FFA State Officer.

His leadership extends well beyond the university. Harpster currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Penn College of Technology and sits on the Board of Directors for Mt. Nittany Health. His past roles include serving as a Penn State University Board of Trustees member (2013-2025), Chairman of the Pennsylvania Beef Council, Chairman of the Beef Quality Assurance Commission, and board member for both the FFA Foundation and the Northeast Agricultural Education Foundation.

He was also a member of Governor Ridge's 21st Century Environmental Commission and Gov. Wolf's Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board, representing agriculture. In 2022, he was recognized among the Pennsylvania Agriculture Power 100.

Harpster's passion lies in recruiting and retaining top agricultural talent in Pennsylvania and at Penn State, supporting student success, expanding college enrollment, and promoting research that addresses real-world challenges in production agriculture. A proud supporter of Penn State athletics, he enjoys attending many of the university's winter sporting events.

He and his wife Trish, who works for Johnson & Johnson, are proud parents of three children: Logan, a freshman at Penn College, and Riley and Teagan, both in high school.

James Ingram

James Ingram is a distinguished Penn State alumnus, accomplished business leader, and dedicated philanthropist whose career and volunteer service have made a lasting impact on both the arboriculture industry and the Penn State community. He currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Bartlett Tree Experts, a global leader in scientific tree and shrub care with operations across North America and Europe.

A proud graduate of Penn State Mont Alto and the University Park campus, Ingram has remained deeply connected to his alma mater through decades of volunteer leadership and philanthropic support. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, he was named Penn State's 2018 Fundraising Volunteer of the Year, an honor that reflects his tireless efforts to advance the university's mission and support its students.

Together with his wife, Barbara, Ingram established the James and Barbara Ingram Endowment for the Penn State Arboreta. This transformative gift supports the creation and maintenance of a network of arboreta across Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses. This initiative enhances environmental education, research, and community engagement throughout the state.

Ingram is also a gifted public speaker and mentor. He delivered the virtual commencement address for Penn State Mont Alto's Class of 2020, where he inspired graduates with his "five Penn State tenets": live, learn, serve, earn, and set your houses in order. His message emphasized personal integrity, lifelong learning, and service to others—values that have guided his own career and philanthropy.

Throughout his professional journey, Ingram has championed excellence in arboriculture, education, and community development. His legacy at Penn State is one of generosity, leadership, and a deep-rooted commitment to the land-grant mission.

Keith Masser

Keith Masser is Chairman/CEO of Sterman Masser, Inc., a family-owned and operated 6,000-acre potato growing, packing, processing and shipping operation. Upon graduating in 1973 from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. degree with Distinction in Agricultural Engineering, Masser went to work for Procter and Gamble as a project engineer.

In 1984, he purchased his parents' agricultural business, transforming it from a small family farm to one of North America's top potato shippers, leading the industry in Food Safety, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility. In 2004, he founded Keystone Potato Products LLC, a potato processing company and in 2008, founded Fresh Solution Farms LLC, a produce packing and distribution company in southwest Michigan. Masser serves as chief pilot and operations director for his company's aviation division.

Masser is involved with the Pennsylvania State University as a member of the Board of Trustees from 2008 until 2020, serving as Chairman of the Board from 2013 until 2016. He serves as chair of the Penn State Health System board. He has been honored as a College of Agricultural Sciences Outstanding Alumni and as a Mid-Atlantic Master Farmer.

He currently chairs the Hubley Township Board of Supervisors and the Schuylkill County Farmland Preservation Board. He serves on the Schuylkill County Airport Authority board.

Masser has chaired the United States Potato Promotion Board, a 6,000-member, grower-funded, USDA-administered, commodity promotion program based in Denver, CO. He also served as President of the National Potato Council, a nationwide grower-funded commodity lobbying organization based in Washington, D.C.

He has been happily married for over 49 years to Helen, who holds a degree in Health and Nutrition from Penn State. Their son, David, and daughter, Julie, both Penn State graduates, are employed full-time in the family businesses. The Massers enjoy biking, golfing, skiing, and spending time with their family.

Bill MacCauley

Bill MacCauley of Atglen, Pennsylvania, is a nationally recognized Suffolk sheep breeder and a passionate advocate for youth in agriculture. Raised on Breezeview Farm, his journey began in 4-H and FFA, leading him to earn a degree in Agricultural Business Management from Penn State. He later graduated from the World Wide College of Auctioneering, combining his agricultural expertise with auctioneering skills that have served countless livestock events across the country.

Together with his wife, Betsy, MacCauley operates MacCauley Suffolks, the largest Suffolk sheep breeding flock in North America. Their operation includes over 1,000 head and is known for its advanced embryo transfer program and commitment to breed excellence. The MacCauleys have raised multiple National Champions and are deeply involved in youth livestock programs, including the Ewe Lamb Give-a-way and 4-H initiatives.

He has served on the United Suffolk Sheep Association Board and currently sits on the Suffolk Foundation Board. He also owns and operates John Rock, Inc., the largest wooden pallet manufacturer on the East Coast, and two sawmills in Pennsylvania.

Justin McElhattan

Justin McElhattan is the founder of Nicely Road, a company focused on helping agriculture reach its full potential to nourish, connect, and heal. Before founding Nicely Road, he spent 30 years in the environmental, health, and safety field. He spent 25 years at Industrial Scientific Corporation in various roles, becoming CEO in 2010. He led the sale of the business to Fortive Corporation (NYSE: FTV) in 2017 and subsequently ran the environmental, health, and safety business group for Fortive.

Along with his wife, Shirley, McElhattan founded Nicely Ridge Foundation in 2018. He also serves on the boards of the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Ligonier Camp and Conference Center.

McElhattan has a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State and is a 2006 MBA graduate of Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business, where he serves on the business board of advisors.

Bruce McPheron

Dr. Bruce A. McPheron is a distinguished entomologist and academic leader with a long-standing career in agricultural sciences. He served as Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at The Penn State University from 2009 to 2012, where he led significant organizational changes during challenging budgetary times. Prior to that, he held various roles at Penn State, including Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station.

Dr. McPheron earned his B.S. in Entomology from the Ohio State University, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. in Biology and Entomology from the University of Illinois. His research has focused on insect genetics, molecular systematics, and the population biology of pest species such as tephritid fruit flies.

After his tenure at Penn State, he returned to Ohio State University, where he served as Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, and later as Executive Vice President and Provost.

He is a Fellow of both the Entomological Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his contributions to agricultural research and education.

Fred Metzger

Dr. Fred Metzger is a 1981 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Animal Bioscience and a 1986 graduate of the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a board-certified veterinary specialist and Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is an adjunct professor at The Pennsylvania State University and coauthored Clinical Pathology Interpretation in Geriatric Veterinary Patients and A Guide to Hematology in Dogs and Cats.

Dr. Metzger is the founder and past medical director of the VCA Metzger Animal Hospital, a 13-doctor, 98-team-member, AAHA-certified general, referral and 24-hour emergency hospital in State College, treating over 30,000 patients annually.

Dr. Metzger has earned numerous honors and awards. He was named an Ag Science Outstanding Alumnus in 2016 and inducted into the College of Agricultural Sciences Armsby Honor Society in 2017.

He is a member of the Mt. Nittany Society and was named a 2023 Penn State Alumni Fellow and received the university's highest award, the Distinguished Alumnus Award, in 2024. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine in 2022.

Dr. Metzger has guest lectured at Penn State for the last 25 years and continues to have interactions with students in Veterinary Medical and Biosciences and Animal Science, including his 6-week externship at VCA Metzger Animal Hospital for Penn State Pre-Vet students, which occurs during the summer.

He has lifelong ties and a long family history with the local area and Penn State. He is a lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association and lives in State College with his wife, Megan Metzger, and their children, Ava and Bree.

Mark Wach

With over 45 years of experience in the mushroom industry, Dr. Mark Wach has spent the last 30 years with Sylvan, Inc., a world leader in fungal biotechnology, where he currently serves as the Company's Chief Innovation Officer. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and a native San Franciscan, Dr. Wach completed his graduate education at the Pennsylvania State University's Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology.

In addition to directing a multinational team of researchers charged with maintaining Sylvan's position as the premier supplier of mushroom spawn and related products, Dr. Wach and his team provide support for Sylvan Bio, a division responsible for harnessing Sylvan's proprietary solid-substrate fermentation platform to develop specialty applications utilizing fungi in the development of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, biopesticide and specialty chemical products.

Dr. Wach has served as President of the International Society for Mushroom Science, Chairman of the American Mushroom Institute Board of Directors and President of The Pennsylvania State University College of Ag Sciences, Ag Council.

His extensive experience in the commercial mushroom industry has allowed him to be involved in all aspects of fungal biology, including genetics, solid substrate fermentation, commercial production and process development.

Tricia Warehime

Tricia Warehime is a 1976 graduate of Elizabethtown College with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy. She is a retired pediatric Occupational Therapist and currently the owner of G&S Foods, a snack food co-manufacturer located in Hanover, York County, PA.

She is connected to Penn State through her late husband's family - lifelong Penn Staters. Her father-in-law established the ARW chair in agri-business in 1990, and through that, incredible business and personal relationships blossomed. Mike, her late husband, was an annual guest lecturer in a senior food science class, and Barry Zoumas (the Chair) was a trusted consultant in the design and construction of the R&D Center at Snyder's of Hanover. The flow of interns and employees into our business cemented the bonds that continue to this day between the College and her family.

In addition, as a family with 3,000 acres of farmland, she has become more keenly aware of the duty to be the best possible stewards of that land. To that end, they have turned to PSU for guidance and advice. The family is highly interested in the science of soil preservation and conservation, as well as sustainable, regenerative farming practices. The work being done and research being conducted at the student farm and the One World Health center are pivotal in testing the Rodale mantra the family has adopted: Healthy soil = Healthy food = Healthy people.

She has been active in leadership positions in her community with service on the church, school, and multiple not-for-profit organizations like the YWCA, YMCA, Guthrie Library and Council of Churches. She firmly believes that each of us has a responsibility to improve our own community. Imagine the world we could live in if we all embraced that commitment.