Current Chapter Leadership
President and Midwest Director: Bruce Arentson
President-Elect: Aaron Park
Past President: Randy Walker
Secretary-Treasurer: Wendy Flatt
Directors: Phil Krueger, Chris Hostetler, Don Martell, Judy Reynolds, Chad Risley, Joe Wolf, Jim Edwards, and Rick Bonander
The Midwest Chapter of ARPAS, which was started in 2011, had approximately 207 members as of January 2017. The chapter continues to be active in building and supporting ARPAS membership through the University and Industry Relations Committees as well as through targeted sponsorships and ARPAS presentations.
ARPAS was a sponsor for the Midwest Animal Science meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, March 13 to 15, 2017. Midwest ARPAS board members manned the booth, answered questions, and proctored two sessions for exams. Prior to the meeting, emails were sent to all ARPAS members in the Midwest to recruit candidates from universities and industry to take the ARPAS exam at the Midwest Animal Science meetings. Although only three candidates sat for an exam, several graduate students stopped at the booth and indicated their interest in taking the exam online. To promote ARPAS membership, ARPAS purchased coffee sleeves with the ARPAS logo for use at the breaks.
The Midwest ARPAS Chapter will have a booth at the Tri-State Nutrition Conference, April 17 to 19, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. The chapter will sponsor the meals Monday evening for students and their advisors who participate in the student presentation conference and present a short program detailing the benefits of ARPAS membership. Preparations are being made to offer a session for exams.
June 14 to 15, 2017, the Midwest ARPAS Chapter will have a booth at the 4-State Nutrition Conference in Dubuque, Iowa. ARPAS members will man the booth to promote ARPAS and answer questions.
New and exciting this year, the Midwest ARPAS Chapter is planning a personal-development half-day conference, September 19, 2017, in conjunction with the Minnesota Nutrition Conference. The speaker’s topic includes behavior styles, influencing skills and facilitating change. Final details of the conference are being confirmed and will be released in late April. The conference will be open to all, with preference given to ARPAS members. Registration and details of the conference will be available on the ARPAS website.
Again this year, the Midwest ARPAS Chapter will sponsor the cash awards to the winners of the graduate student paper competition at the Minnesota Nutrition Conference in September 2017.