RSVP to jeremy.lutgen@novusint.com by October 29, 2009

Gateway NAMA invites you to join us for a “crash course” in PR and a Cardinals game with the John Brown Scholars of Mizzou.

Head to downtown St. Louis on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, for an evening of networking with the best and the brightest Mizzou agribusiness students. It’s a great opportunity to engage first-hand with your future employees.

Osborn & Barr will host the “crash course” session at 4:00 p.m. Panelists will include representatives from Monsanto Public Affairs, Monsanto Social Media Group, Elasticity and Osborn & Barr. We’ll be looking at crisis communications – both proactive and reactive – and how social media is changing the game. We’ve asked the Mizzou students to be prepared to share their insights, too.

At 5:15 we’ll head to a local restaurant for a happy hour hosted by Gateway NAMA, and then to the stadium at 6:30 p.m.

Gateway NAMA will cover the happy hour and a portion of your Cardinals ticket; we just ask that Gateway members pay $10 per ticket. RSVP to gatewaynama@yahoo.com by Tuesday, April 2. We are also sponsoring the transportation and game tickets for the John Brown scholars and faculty.

The John Brown Scholars Program was initiated in 1983 by John E. Brown, a prominent St. Louis agribusinessman. The program consists of 16 qualified upperclassmen in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). These students must be of junior or higher standing and enrolled in CAFNR, as well as maintain a 2.5 minimum GPA.

Hello Gateway NAMA fans. It’s a new year of meetings and maybe we’ll get some more content posted on this website. Any volunteers?

So, if you’re going to be in KC, MO this week for Trends In Agriculture then please plan to attend our chapter get together on Wednesday afternoon. Here’s the details:

Location: Empire Room C – Hyatt Regency Crown Center

When: Wednesday, November 12, 4:00PM

Greetings Gateway NAMA Members! If you’ll be in Kansas City for the NAMA “Trends in Agriculture” session join other members of the Gateway NAMA chapter at a social/networking event the afternoon of Nov. 12th. We’ll be hosting an hour of Cuban-themed fun in Empire Room C of the Hyatt Crown Center featuring mojitos, chips and salsa/guacamole and fresh fruit. Come meet other members of the chapter and enjoy some fun on us!

Get registered here.

When: Tuesday, May 13

11:30 a.m. – Networking
Noon – 1:30 p.m. – Meal and Program**

Where: Sheraton Plaza Hotel; 191 West Port Plaza Drive; St. Louis, MO 63146

Program: International Business and Trade with China

Speaker: Dr. James Little, Professor of Business, Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Little did his undergraduate work at the University of British Columbia and received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Professor Little joined the Washington University faculty in 1971 and served on the faculty of the Department of Economics until 1982, when he joined the faculty of the Olin School. From 1983-89, he served as associate dean for academic affairs. He is Academic Director of the Olin School’s EMBA Program and directs the School’s European Programs. Professor Little’s extensive experience as a lecturer in executive programs includes two extended tours of China as a member of a U.S. team. His current research interests include the study of the implications of globalization for corporate strategies, the economics of the European Union, and regulation of insurance companies.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR – Bunge North America, Inc.

RSVP: By May 9, email your reservation to: gatewaynama@yahoo.com or call (314) 746-1907 to reserve your meal. No-shows will be invoiced.

Luncheon and Professional Development Registration – $25 which can be paid at the door(cash or checks payable to the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club) or by credit card online at http://www.stlouisagclub.org/meetingform.html

If you do RSVP and you find out by Monday afternoon or early Tuesday morning that you cannot attend, please contact Dean Dittmar on his cell phone – (618) 604-1622, so that you will not be invoiced.

Thursday, May 29
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Corwin’s Bar and Grill
St. Louis, Mo.
(Olive Blvd. and Price Rd.)
www.corwins.net

Free food and free drinks for the first hour.

Members may bring a guest.

Connect with members of the Gateway Chapter for networking and drinks Thursday, May 29. Board members will talk a briefly about the new direction the Gateway Chapter is taking to add value to your membership.

Next meeting is April 15th.

When: Tuesday, April 15th – Luncheon Meeting and Presentation 11:30 a.m. – Networking and Product Sampling, 12-1:30 p.m. – Meal/Program. Also, a private and complimentary tour(limited to 25 individuals) will be offered from 1:45 – 2:45 p.m. See details below.

Where: Location change for this month only…Anheuser-Busch Headquarters, Corporate Theatre (2nd Floor), 1 Busch Place, St. Louis, MO. Arriving to the main entrance, turn into
the visitor lot in front of the building south of Lynch, west of Broadway. Security will direct visitors to proper parking areas. Everyone must enter through the main lobby of the Corporate Headquarters to sign-in and to acquire a name badge. PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY.

What: Quality Products Start with Quality Ingredients…Anheuser-Busch has been the leader of the U.S. brewing industry for more than 50 years and brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Busch Agricultural Resources is the agricultural unit of Anheuser-Busch Companies, and supplies the malted barley, hops and rice used in the brewing of Anheuser-Busch beers. Major areas of operation include: malting barley; hops contracting and production; rice contracting, milling, and
marketing; agricultural research in barley, rice, and hops; and a grain/seed operation network for the production, purchasing, processing, and storage of malting barley and seed. The company also supports research in an effort to control diseases affecting barley, rice, and hops.

Speaker: Steve Malin, Vice President, Anheuser Busch Raw Materials

Sponsor: Anheuser-Busch, where making friends is our business. Anheuser-Busch operates 12 breweries in the United States, 14 in China and one in the United Kingdom.
Anheuser-Busch’s operations and resources are focused on adding to life’s enjoyment not only through the responsible consumption of beer by adults, but through theme park entertainment and packaging. In the United States, the company holds a 48.5 percent share of U.S. beer sales. Worldwide, Anheuser Busch’s beer sales volume was 128.4 million barrels in 2007. The St. Louis-based company’s subsidiaries include one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of aluminum beverage containers and one of the world’s
largest recyclers of aluminum beverage cans. Anheuser-Busch also has interests in malt production, rice milling, real estate development, turf farming, metalized and paper label printing, bottle production and transportation services. View more details at their website – http://www.anheuser-busch.com/index.html

RSVP: Prior to April 4th, Email your meal and tour reservation to: gatewaynama@yahoo.com or call (314)746-1907. No-shows will be invoiced. Please direct any questions to: Dean Dittmar at ddittmar@stlouisagclub.org or 618/257-8272.

The St. Louis AgriBusiness Club and Gateway NAMA presents February’s Professional Development:

When: Tuesday, February 12th Luncheon Meeting and Presentation 11:30 a.m. – Networking, 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Meal and Program

Program: “The World Agricultural Forum: Empowering Agriculture to Drive Economic Growth”

Speaker: Mr. Raymond Cesca, President of the World Agricultural Forum … Mr. Cesca was elected President of the World Agricultural Forum in August 2006 after a serving on its Board of Advisors since 1996. The Forum is a St. Louis, Missouri based global organization made up of leaders in industry, government, academia, and non-government organizations whose purpose is to empower agriculture, through its Congresses, to help solve the chronic problems of global poverty and hunger through investments in agriculture.

Mr. Cesca is also the Founder, President and CEO of GAEÁ International, a market development, trade, and strategic planning organization that promotes the development of small to medium size enterprises in support of economic development in emerging economies. GAEÁ locates markets for cross border trade and helps develop strategies to leverage the market potential for the companies and countries involved.

Mr. Cesca is the former Managing Director of McDonald’s World Trade. He was responsible for reducing or eliminating barriers to trade among the 118 countries in which McDonald’s operates, and for leveraging the corporation’s assets to optimize its global supply resources. He helped craft world trade strategies that were used in emerging regional trading blocks and negotiated with governments to make a borderless environment within the McDonald’s system. Mr. Cesca was also responsible for Purchasing and Quality Assurance for New Country Development. He held that position from 1995 to 1999.

Where: Sheraton Hotel – Westport, 191 West Port Plaza Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146

RSVP: By February 8th, email your reservation to: gatewaynama@yahoo.com or call (314)746-1907 to reserve your meal. No-shows will be invoiced.

Luncheon and Professional Development Registration – $25 which can be paid at the door(cash or checks payable to the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club) or by credit card online at http://www.stlouisagclub.org/meetingform.html If you do RSVP and you find out by Monday afternoon or early Tuesday morning that you cannot attend, please contact Dean Dittmar on his cell phone – 618.604.1622, so that you will not be invoiced.

Meeting Schedule for 07-08

Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 – Illinois and Missouri Department of Agriculture Update from Directors’ Katie Smith and Chuck Hartke, Casino Queen Hotel, East St. Louis, IL

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 – Location: Anheuser-Busch Headquarters Corporate Theatre (2nd Floor), 1 Busch Place, St. Louis, Missouri (S. Seventh & Lynch Streets)
Speaker: Steve Malin, Vice President, Anheuser-Busch Raw Materials
Topic: Quality Products Start with Quality Ingredients

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 – James Little, Agricultural Trade with China

Hello Gateway NAMA-ites. Even if you weren’t planning on attending the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture you can still get a “taste” of it by attending our January meeting:

The St. Louis AgriBusiness Club and Gateway NAMA presents January’s SPECIAL Professional Development…350 individuals have already registered.

WHEN: Monday, January 7, 2008, 12 noon – 1:30 p.m. Luncheon Menu-Mixed green salad with AgriMissouri dressings, grilled loin of pork (with pineapple black bean Pico de Gallo and Balsamic honey drizzle), rice, fresh vegetables, rolls & butter, raspberry swirl cheesecake, coffee, iced tea, water.

WHERE: Millennium Hotel – Missouri/Illinois Room – 200 South 4th Street in Downtown St. Louis Phone: (314) 241-9500

SPEAKER: The Honorable Matt Blunt, Governor, State of Missouri – Matt Blunt, Missouri’s 54th governor was elected on November 2, 2004, carrying 101 of Missouri’s 114 counties.

TO REGISTER: Complete the form that you’ll find on the conference website. Luncheon only – $25, Registration packets may be picked up at the conference registration area. Although registration is available on-site, pre-registration is encouraged. The 2-day conference registration is $170. (We will be having a display showcasing club membership and activities. If you would like to take an hour to man the display, please email ddittmar@stlouisagclub.org)

Gateway NAMA and The St. Louis AgriBusiness Club November Professional Development Meeting

When: Tuesday, November 13th Luncheon Meeting and Presentation

**11:30 a.m. – Networking, 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Meal and Program**

Where: Sheraton Hotel – Westport, 191 West Port Plaza Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146

RSVP: By November 8th, email your reservation to: gatewaynama@yahoo.com or call (314)746-1907 to reserve your meal. No-shows will be invoiced.

Program: Creating Interest for the Agriculture, Food, and Fiber Industry – Kindergarten thru College…

Speaker: Glenn Stith, Vice President of Seminis, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monsanto, is responsible for commercial operations in North and South America. Glenn is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in agricultural economics and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Stith has enjoyed a 30-year career with Monsanto holding a variety of sales, marketing and management positions within the U.S. and Canada. Prior to his role with Seminis, he served as the Vice President of Monsanto’s U.S. Branded Business in St. Louis. Mr. Stith was born and raised near Louisville, KY, and is a past Kentucky FFA state officer and is the current chair of the National FFA Foundation Sponsor Board.

Seminis is working directly with grocery retailers and food companies to introduce innovative products for consumers. These products, we believe, will encourage the population to eat more vegetables, improve their health and fight the epidemic of obesity among children in many countries.

Luncheon and Professional Development Registration: $25 which can be paid at the door (cash or checks payable to the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club) or by credit card online at http://www.stlouisagclub.org/meetingform.html. If you do RSVP and you find out by Monday afternoon or early Tuesday morning that you cannot attend, please contact Dean Dittmar on his cell phone – 618.604.1622, so that you will not be invoiced.

Tentative Meeting Schedule for 07-08

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
Monday, January 7th, 2008
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 – Illinois location
Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008