The Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization dedicated to developing leaders for agriculture, business and rural communities.

All funds for the program come from private and corporate support, donations and private grants. KARL offices are housed on the Kansas State University campus under an agreement with the Kansas Cooperative Extension Service of KSU.

To ensure that the Kansas rural and agricultural community can keep pace with the rate of change, it is imperative we supply informed, decisive, communicative spokespersons to represent our industry and communities, keeping the public factually informed as policies are formed and decisions are made. To address these needs, we provide an intensive study, training and travel experience for future leaders of Kansas.

In mid-1989, a group of twenty individuals representing virtually all segments of Kansas agriculture met to discuss the need and potential for an extensive educational program designed to build a leadership base for Kansas agriculture and its related industries. The first board meeting for the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership program was held October 3, 1989 and KARL, Inc. was formed in 1990. The first class of 30 participants began their leadership development in 1991. Since then, over 300 participants have completed the program.

Since its inception, over $4 million has been raised and spent on this program from over 800 entities including individuals, farm and civic organizations, businesses, foundations and corporations. That money has been invested to put over 300 agricultural and rural leaders through 5,200 hours of training and experience in Kansas and Washington DC, as well as Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, France, England, the People’s Republic of China, Argentina, Australia & New Zealand, Mexico & Costa Rica, Brazil, Ghana, India and Vietnam. Preparations are underway for the Class XI tour to Peru.

KARL graduates are on every major commodity association board, several commissions and multiple boards, advisories and councils from the local through national level. In the past five years the President of the Kansas Farm Bureau (Steve Baccus); Kansas Livestock Association (David Cross, Mark Smith); Kansas Wheat Growers (Jerry McReynolds, Kendall Hodgson); and No-Till on the Plains Chair (Josh Lloyd) all came from our graduate pool. The first national president’s office of a commodity organization was earned by Class I graduate John Thaemert for the National Association of Wheat Growers and Jerry McReynolds served as president in 2010-11. Ron Suppes served as Chairman of the US Wheat Associates 2007-08. Longtime policy staffer at Kansas Wheat, Dana Peterson, was named the chief executive officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers on Jan. 8, 2010. Gary Harshberger was appointed to the chairmanship of the Kansas Water Authority in 2011. The first graduate to serve in the Kansas legislature was Don Schroeder from Hesston.

Our staff is dedicated to delivering a superior education for all our students. Click on available links to view full bios as a PDF.

Board of Directors of KARL, Inc.

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Executive Committee

Carolyn Harms (Chair), VP/GM Aftermarket Customer Support, SpiritAero (ret.), Derby
Terry Nelson (Vice Chair), Long Island
Ron Suppes (Secretary), Farmer, Dighton
Jay Joy (Treasurer), Market Dev. Manager, Bank of the West, Sedgwick
Board of Directors
Lynn Chance, President, Fowler State Bank, Fowler
Gary Doane, Farmer, Downs
Ray Flickner, Farmer, Wichita
Dorothy Hutchins, Teacher, Scott City
David Jones, President, Community National Bank, Edna
Larry Jones, Farmer/Stockman, Holcomb
Michael Leitch, Farm Credit Market Dev. Manager, Wamego
Tracey Mann, Commercial Realtor, Salina
Jesse McCurry, Colwich
Gary Millershaski, Farmer, Lakin
Marcine Moldenhauer, Livestock Consultant, Meat-Link, Valley Center
Robba Moran, Homemaker & Volunteer, Hays
Lee Musil, Farmer (ret.), Burdett
Judy Nusser, Realtor, The Real Estate Shoppe, Garden City
Dewayne Rosson, Feed and Farm Supply Owner, Coffeyville

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Dale Rodman, KS Secretary of Agriculture
Gary Pierzynski, K-State Interim Dean of Agriculture
Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, K-State Agricultural Economics
Dr. Vincent Amanor-Boadu, K-State Agricultural Economics
Clark Boyer (Past Chair), President, KANZA Bank, Kingman

Staff

Jack Lindquist, President
Marisa Larson, Vice President
Connie Emig, Administrative Assistant