Released: January 18, 2005

Cargill Support for KARL Program Grows

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Before Christmas, the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership office received the kind of e-mail that everyone would like to see ... one from a long standing donor. The message read: “We will commit to a $10,000 donation to your organization for the 2004-2005 program year.”

Ron Barauskas, Director of Human Resources at Cargill Meat Solutions in Wichita, added, “We will also submit candidates for your consideration for KARL Class VIII.”

Jack Lindquist, the president of the leadership non profit organization since its inception in 1990, was contacted by Barauskas before the holidays and on the Friday after New Years the Full Leader Sponsor level gift arrived in the mail.

Cargill business interests in the State of Kansas have contributed a total of $76,000 since the program’s formation in 1990. The company has also recognized the KARL Program as an executive level leadership training option. Since 2001, three Cargill employees have been through or are participating in the program: Melanie Mainquist, Key Account Manager for Kroger, was in KARL Class VI, and Chris Trumble, Marketing Manager, with the International Group and Meghan Mueseler, a Technical Training Specialist, are in Class VII.

“We are pleased that Cargill recognizes the opportunity to broaden their employees’ experiences, knowledge base and networks with the broad cross section of rural leaders, agriculture support representatives and producers that make up a typical KARL class,” Lindquist said.

Since the first class was formed in 1991, KARL has helped 210 Kansans from 85 Kansas counties improve their leadership skills. Each two-year class is together for 50 days of training, activities and tours. KARL participants attend 10 in-state seminars; a one-week study tour to Washington, D.C.; and a 12-day international study seminar.

The two-year cost per adult student is $11,500. Of that amount, $9,000 is supported by donations.

KARL’s offices are located on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan. For more information, interested persons can visit the Web site at http://www.karlprogram.com  or may call Lindquist at 785-532-6300.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Mary Lou Peter
mlpeter@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News