What have you accomplished in your professional life/career since your 40 Under 40 selection?
I’m happy to be back in the field of agricultural communications with Sand County Foundation, a Madison-based, national nonprofit. For more than 50 years it has promoted conservationist and author Aldo Leopold’s idea of a “land ethic” by engaging landowners with conservation-minded farming, ranching, and forestry practices.
What accomplishments, milestones, or endeavors have you attained in your personal life since your 40 Under 40 selection?
In the year after my selection, I became a father a few days before turning 40. That same year, my wife Amanda and I bought a 110-year-old house in my hometown of Edgerton, where I am a candidate for city council this April.
If you were to “do it all over again,” what (if anything) would you do differently throughout your career?
I wrote a monthly column as a newspaper reporter in my 20s. I would have shared less about my personal life — hence why I’m not going to list any other regrets here.
How did your 40 Under 40 selection help your career?
While agriculture’s a big deal in Wisconsin, I remember feeling like I was a nontraditional pick for the list. I wasn’t an attorney, I didn’t create a tech startup business, and I didn’t work for a public relations agency. I wanted to show that someone with a farm background who was working for an agricultural organization (Wisconsin Farm Bureau) could land on the list.
What is something that you have a new passion for since the time of your induction — either professionally or personally?
I’m fortunate to get to tell the stories of farmers, ranchers, and foresters who are improving soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat across our nation. Agriculture’s connection to conservation was something I wasn’t as tuned into a decade ago. On the personal side, owning a home has flipped on my appreciation for landscaping.
Based on your experience, do you have any advice for today’s young professionals (under 40)?
Surround yourself with a diverse group of people (preferably older) who you admire.
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