Leadership -
Experienced and Dedicated
The Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation, Inc. is governed by a highly regarded Board of Directors in partnership with WDE Management which provides day-to-day operational support.
The Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors dedicates one meeting annually to analyzing the educational climate in rural Wisconsin and allocating awards to maximizing the benefit and impact in the rural enterprise. Recipient selections are made, in some cases, by the particular college or university admissions offices according to academics, leadership, service and financial need criteria outlined by the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation.
In some instances, key individuals from throughout the state serve on grant review committees to assist the Board of Directors in determining the people, projects and programs most deserving of support.
Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Board of Directors:
President of the Board
James K. Caldwell
President, First Citizens State Bank, Whitewater, Wisconsin“Having grown up on a Wisconsin farm, I have witnessed firsthand the need for educational opportunities and leadership development for rural Wisconsin young people. This assures the enhanced success and prosperity of Wisconsin agricultural communities. Our grant recipients say their WROF scholarship became a “defining moment” for them, empowering them to pursue their desired education and return to become strong leadership in our Wisconsin rural communities. Serving as President, and investing in our endowment, is a way for me to “give back” and preserve our wonderful rural Wisconsin way of life.”
First Vice-President
Richard R. Renk
President, Renk Seeds“I am a 5th generation Badger and respect and appreciate our Wisconsin rural heritage. The foundation and core of our business (Renk Seed Company) is our seed corn sales to Wisconsin farmers and agri-businesses. I can think of nothing more rewarding or fruitful than investing in the education and organic growth of the rural youth of Wisconsin. They are our future and this is what WROF is all about – helping build our rural Wisconsin enterprise.”
Second Vice-President
Laure O. Beane
Farmer, Agricultural Leader“As a long-time member of the WROF Board, I am proud of how we have grown. We husband our resources wisely and judiciously consider the educational needs of our rural communities. Rural leaders must be broadly educated, embracing interests and knowledge that does not stop at the farm gate. We intentionally remove ourselves from recipient selection but carefully define the qualifications for our partner institutions. I feel pride in each of our over 5000 recipients and the goals they have achieved with our assistance. Our dollars are allocated for many different fields and types of educational experiences – from rural health to rural art, to those who will actively farm and those who will fill leadership roles in agricultural and rural communities. The need for assistance is great. I am proud to support the WROF as much as possible.”
Executive Committee
Curtis Hanson
President, Mid-State Power Equipment“I grew up in a small town and education was what I needed to maximize my contribution back to this state. Leaders in 4-H and FFA encouraged me along the way and between weekend work and my parents help; I could pay UW-Platteville fees. But I saw a lot of classmates struggle then, and today’s costs are so much greater. I feel strongly about helping young rural people with financial need continue their education. That’s why I invest my time and resources through the WORF. With our focus on assisting rural Wisconsin residents attend Wisconsin schools, we make something important happen, not only in the students’ lives, but in rural Wisconsin overall.”
Richard C. Hanson
Businessman, State Administrator, Dept of Health and Social Services, Retired Lt. Colonel, Army, Administrator for the WROF“My early impressions of the WROF date back to when I was asked to perform administrative functions for the organization. My first interactions with the others involved convinced me I was surrounded by caring board members who shared my vision of improving conditions for rural residents in Wisconsin. I believe we can directly assist smaller rural communities in startup efforts that bring jobs. It is indeed rewarding to observe hundreds of students from rural areas advance their education in over 30 different institutions and programs with the financial help from scholarships we provide.”
Board Members
Elton D. Aberle
Emeritus Dean, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, (CALS) UW-Madison“Among WROF Board Members, I am a relative newcomer to Wisconsin, having moved here from Nebraska in 1998 to become Dean, CALS, UW-Madison. I joined the WROF Board in 2006. This Foundation has a proud history of service to Wisconsin’s rural citizens, organizations and businesses. As a former Dean, I have seen first-hand the burden of financing a college education. I am convinced that our focus to encourage and support educational opportunities of all types for rural people is the very best use of our resources. Rural areas must have well educated, dedicated citizens to grow and prosper in the 21st century. I am excited to be a part of WROF and to work to grow its resource base so that the Foundation can have an even greater impact on rural Wisconsin in the future.”
Richard M. Heins
CEO, Heins Business Group“I enthusiastically support the activities of the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation and its Board of Directors in their support of people engaged in rural agricultural endeavors. To empower and strengthen the Wisconsin agricultural enterprise requires individuals with many different skills and talents and thus their respective education cannot be “one size fits all.” Young men and women who graduate from agricultural short courses, the technical college system or an agricultural leadership program, as well as the traditional four-year degree programs, are all critical to our success. By supporting rural nurses and other medical professionals, we are assured to have quality rural healthcare — a key component for keeping our rural communities strong. This is why I have agreed to invest time and resources with the WROF Board of Directors.”
Celia Lausted
Farmer, Agricultural Leader“Rural health care is crucial to the success of our Wisconsin communities. The WROF support of nursing students and medical internships in rural areas assures that we maintain quality health care throughout the state. Leadership experiences through 4-H and the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program provide educational options outside of regular classroom learning and are critical to the growth and development of full potential of our next generation of Wisconsin leaders. I am proud of the depth of the educational partners associated with the WROF and enjoy seeing the impact of our support in the changed lives of our recipients.”
Robert E. Walton
Emeritus President, American Breeders Service and Simmental breeder“The WROF is unique and important because it recognizes and fulfills some of the leadership needs in our rural society that are not met by any other organization. I serve on this Board to help create greater awareness of the impact of our programs both for potential recipients and also potential contributors and help give direction to future needs of agriculture and rural leadership. Our new Veterinary Student Loan Program is a powerful example of how we identify key needs in the state and create a program to address those issues. As a graduate of both Iowa State and Oklahoma State, I am proud to be part of a program that focuses on Wisconsin rural residents and Wisconsin educational experiences. This focus gives us the greatest impact here in the State of Wisconsin.”
