Celebrating Leadership: Montana Farm Bureau ACE Graduates 2024

November 18, 2024

The Montana Farm Bureau Federation celebrated the Class of 2024 graduates of their ACE (Advocate. Communicate. Educate) Leadership Program during a luncheon today at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Billings. This was the ACE Leadership Program’s seventh year of empowering Farm Bureau members to become confident and effective leaders in their local communities, for Montana agriculture and for their county Farm Bureaus.

The year-long program started January 10 in Bozeman and was followed by five more seminars across Montana. During these trainings, ACE participants heard from agricultural advocates, media professionals, communications specialists and policymakers. As part of the ACE program, participants gave presentations to their fellow ACE members and MFBF Board members to demonstrate how they plan to use their newly honed leadership skills. 

Austin Large, senior director of membership & organizational development for American Farm Bureau, provided comments to the graduates.

“Great builders see the entire picture, not just each brick. Now that you have graduated from ACE, you are a leader. People will be looking toward you for solutions and leadership. It’s easy to walk into a room and simply go with the flow but step up as a leader. Ask how you promote Montana agriculture and the rural communities we live in,” said Large.

He encouraged the graduates to use their knowledge and skills gleaned from the ACE program to seek out and cultivate the next generation of talent.

The 2024 ACE Graduate Class

Trina Jo Bradley, Valier

Buddy Cheff, Ronan

Gary Heibertshausen, Alzada

Nick Jerke, Clyde Park

Logan Kruse, Helena

Meghan Lehman, Joliet

Todd Lackman, Worden

Jeremiah Peterson, Bozeman

Gwynn Simeniuk, Glasgow

Ty Young, Missoula

To learn more about the ACE Program, visit: mfbf.org/Programs/ACE-Program.

Photo: Montana Farm Bureau ACE Program graduates.

Front Row, left to right: Gwynn Simeniuk, Trina Jo Bradley, Meghan Lehman, Jeremiah Peterson.

Back: Logan Kruse, Gary Heibertshausen, Nick Jerke, Budd Cheff, Tyson Young, Todd Lackman