Twelve Emerging Leaders Selected for OABA's 2026 LAUNCH Program
Twelve Ohio agribusiness leaders have been selected to participate in the Ohio AgriBusiness Association’s 2026 Leaders Achieving Unexpected New Career Heights (LAUNCH) program.
Hosted by the Ohio AgriBusiness Association (OABA), in partnership with Shift·ology Communication, the LAUNCH program is geared to help Ohio agribusinesses "Elevate People, Elevate Ideas and Elevate the Industry." Participants were identified by their companies as emerging agribusiness leaders with a desire to meet higher level goals than the scope of their current position, and who seek to rise within their company.
The twelve Ohio AgriBusiness Association members enrolled in the 2026 LAUNCH program include:
- Melanie Blankenship, Eurofins Grain Inspection
- Gayle Chambers, Morral Companies, LLC
- Alex Daniel, Luckey Farmers, Inc
- Ryan Emery, Nutrien Ag Solutions
- Connor Erwin, KOVA of Ohio
- Carson Flynn, Deerfield Ag Services, Inc.
- Clayton Farquer, Nutrien Ag Solutions
- Geoff Galida, Deerfield Ag Services, Inc.
- Mara Schmid, Shift·ology Communication
- Allie Solly, Luckey Farmers, Inc
- Matt Simmons, Versova
- Cody Wright, Global Impact STEM Academy
"We are thrilled to introduce the 2026 LAUNCH class and support their growth as the next generation of agribusiness leaders," said OABA President and CEO Melinda Witten. "This program equips participants with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to excel in their roles and drive positive impact within their organizations and across the agriculture industry."
Please select this link to read the complete press release from OABA.