1. Meeting the officers

2. Thomas Koch will be beginning his senior year at Middle Tennessee State University in the Fall. At MTSU Thomas is studying Ag Business as a major and with a Finance minor. Outside the classroom he is active in many clubs and organizations. At MTSU he is currently the President of DTA, Vice President of Block and Bridle, and a member of the Dairy Science Club. He also serves on the Ag Council Board. He also represent the college of Basic and Applied Science as a Senator for our Student Government Association. This summer he will be working for the Tennessee Cattleman's Association, as well as showing a group of Angus and Charolais cattle for MTSU.

3. Kymberly James, your Midwestern Region Vice President is currently a senior at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. Her major is Agriculture Business with an emphasis in Marketing Sales and two minors: Animal Science and Agronomy. Her hometown is Edgar Springs a small town in central Missouri. She lives on a hay & cattle farm. Kym loves to horseback ride, hunt deer & turkey, fish, and do whatever there is to do on the farm or in the outdoors. She also enjoys painting and those great times she spends with family and friends.

4. Howdy, DTA members from Cason McInturff! Cason is very excited to have the pleasure of serving as this year’s Southern Region Vice President. Currently, he is in his third year at Abilene Christian University, majoring in Animal Science. Cason now residing in Abilene, TX, but his home is in Franklin, TN. He has a passion for Agriculture and the Environment, and has grown up working with and showing many types of livestock. He hopes that this will be a great year for DTA and everyone involved!

5. Jessica Pittman is currently a junior at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas and will graduate in May 2009. She is a General Agriculture major with a Secondary Education minor. Along with being involved in DTA, Jessica has also served as an Agriculture and Industrial Sciences Ambassador at SHSU, a student recruiting program that reaches out to students on the high school and collegiate level. She is also a member of CFFA, SHSU Block and Bridle, Program Council and was the 2007-2008 Chair in Training for the Sam Houston Relay for Life. Her volunteer work includes helping with Relay for Life as well as being on the Queens Committee for the Tyler County Western Weekend Festival in her hometown of Colmesneil, Texas. Jessica stated, “It is great honor to serve this great organization in such a prestigious capacity and I cannot wait to see what the year holds for myself and the rest of the members of Delta Tau Alpha.”

6. Amanda Parrack is currently serving as the 2008-09 parliamentarian. She is a junior at Missouri State University majoring in agriculture education. She is involved in farm bureau, FFA, block and bridle, and DTA. She is currently the vice president of farm bureau. Amanda was a Missouri State FFA officer in 2006-07. She works at her grandparent’s flower shop in Hermitage, Missouri. She also operates a small flock of sheep and a few cows. Amanda graduated high school from Macks Creek and was very involved. She has two sisters who are married and one brother, along with two wonderful parents.

7. Hello everyone! As your National DTA President I would like to thank you for this great opportunity. The council already has a busy year ahead. I am a senior at Sam Houston State University majoring in Horticulture and Crop Science with a Secondary Education minor. I am extremely grateful to be serving you as President. Once again, thanks for the opportunity and I am looking forward to an exciting year!

8. Dr. Jean A. Gleichsner grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin where she was involved in the high school chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H. She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she graduated with highest distinction, receiving B.S. degrees in Agricultural Education (1982) and Agronomy (1983). She then attended Oregon State University where she earned both a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Weed Science in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Dr. Gleichsner joined the Agriculture Department at Fort Hays State University in 1988 as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1994. Over the years, she has taught ten different courses. She has served as the Delta Tau Alpha (DTA) Chapter Co-advisor (1989-93), Chapter Advisor (1993- present) and as the National DTA Advisor (2003-present).

9.  The official DTA T-shirt is available.

10. Fort Hays: Highway Trash Pick- Up Tennessee Tech: Haunted Barn Texas State University: Soap Box Derby MSU: Preparing for National Convention SHSU: Hurricane Ike Relief

11.  Visit the National DTA Website http://www.fhsu.edu/agriculture/natdta/