PennAg Officers
Executive Committee
Mary Henry
Board Chair
Mary Henry
Board Chair
Mary began her career at Farm Credit, where she spent 25 years supporting farmers and agribusinesses across the region. She led the creation and long-term management of the Farm Credit Express program, strengthening financial access and partnership opportunities for equipment dealerships throughout the Northeast.She now serves as Corporate Sales Manager at Messick Farm Equipment, leading sales across all locations and helping guide strategic growth. Mary is known for blending deep agricultural knowledge with strong relationship-building, positioning Messick’s as one of the region’s most trusted equipment partners. Beyond her professional work, Mary is deeply engaged in the agricultural community. She is a founding member and past Chair of the Lancaster County Ag Council and currently serves as Board Chair of PennAg Industries. In addition, she has been recognized by CNH Industrial for her contributions to Pennsylvania agriculture. Mary’s commitment extends to her local community through Chestnut Level Church, where she serves in the music ministry and previously served on the Board of Elders. She attended Shippensburg University and graduated with top honors at ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Wharton School of Business – Leadership Development, Central Atlantic Advanced School of Banking, Central Atlantic School of Commercial Lending, and completed graduate work in sales management at UVA Darden School of Business.
Mary-Beth Ruh
Past Chair
Mary-Beth Ruh
Past Chair
Mary Beth Ruh retired from the role of Seed Division Manager at F.M. Brown’s Sons, Inc. in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, and is currently consulting with SynaTek Solutions in Souderton, PA. She has worked in the seed industry for 45 years, since graduating from Rutgers University in 1981. Prior to retiring, she was a certified professional agronomist and was active in many trade associations and councils, including the Atlantic Seed Association and the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council.
Astin Melhorn
First Board Chair
Astin Melhorn
First Board Chair
Astin Melhorn is the President of Paragon Poultry Management Group and provides executive oversight for Melhorn Sales, Service, and Trucking Co., MainJoy Unlimited, LLC, JWM Poultry Solutions, LLC, and Great Plains Poultry Service. A graduate of Messiah College with a degree in Business, Astin has dedicated the past 18 years to advancing the poultry industry through innovation, operational excellence, and customer-focused solutions.Throughout his career, Astin has helped develop and implement new ideas, services, and technologies that have improved efficiency and performance across the layer industry. Under his leadership, his companies have grown to provide comprehensive, full-service solutions to both regional and national poultry producers, supporting customers through transportation, flock services, live production support, and specialized operational programs. Astin remains committed to building strong partnerships and delivering innovative solutions that help move the poultry industry forward.
Rob Clark
Second Board Chair
Rob Clark
Second Board Chair
Robert Clark is the Owner and CEO of Clark’s Feed Mill, where he proudly continues a family legacy as the third generation to lead the business. Raised on the Clark family farm, he grew up caring for broiler chickens and developed a lifelong passion for the poultry industry.<br><br>After earning a degree in Ag Business Management from Penn State University, Robert returned to apply his education to the family business, helping grow both Clark’s Feed Mill and its commercial broiler grow-out operations.<br><br>Today, he continues to raise broilers on the family farm while leading the company with a commitment to quality, innovation, and supporting local agriculture. He is also dedicated to mentoring the fourth generation of the Clark family, fostering confidence in the business’s ongoing success and tradition.
Mark Kersetter
Treasurer
Mark Kersetter
Treasurer
Mark Kerstetter serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Horizon Farm Credit in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Since joining the organization in 2004, he has held several leadership positions, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Capital Markets Manager. His extensive leadership experience aims to inspire trust among industry stakeholders and colleagues. Prior to his Farm Credit career, he worked with institutional investment management firms in New Jersey and Philadelphia.<br><br>Kerstetter holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and an MBA from The Pennsylvania State University and is a CFA Charterholder. Since 2022, he has served on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of the Penn Ag Industries Association.
Chris Herr
Board Secretary & PennAg President
Chris Herr
Board Secretary & PennAg President
As the longtime President of PennAg Industries Association, Chris Herr serves as the voice of Pennsylvania’s agribusiness. For the executive committee, he offers organzational insights and takes notes during meetings. In Harrisburg, Herr cultivates and advocates for our members across various agribusiness sectors, from aquaculture to equine and manure haulers and feed and grain, championing them before the state legislature’s agriculture and rural affairs committees.
- Phone:717-651-5920
- Email:cherr@pennag.com
PennAg Board of Directors
Each director on the board represents a council or committee.
Ben Beachler
Membership Committee; Poultry Council
Ben Beachler
Membership Committee; Poultry Council
Ben Beachler is an experienced agricultural leader with 28 years at Kreider Farms, including 26 years in management roles. His leadership has consistently driven growth and stability, inspiring confidence in colleagues and partners alike. Throughout his career, he has built extensive expertise in agricultural operations, with a strong focus on the fresh shell egg industry before expanding his leadership into the dairy business. Ben has a proven track record of managing complex operations, developing high-performing teams, and driving operational excellence. His deep industry knowledge, especially in egg and dairy sectors, and hands-on leadership style, have consistently contributed to the long-term success of the organizations and teams he has served, reassuring stakeholders of his expertise. Passionate about agriculture, Ben is dedicated to advancing efficient, sustainable, and high-quality food production. His focus on innovation and continuous improvement fosters a culture of accountability, teamwork, and forward-thinking, encouraging confidence in his leadership and vision.
Jason Landis
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Jason Landis
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Jason has spent his life in Agriculture. Currently serving as VP Sr. Team Leader overseeing a talented group of Agricultural Lenders for First Citizens Community Bank. This allows him to support the broader Agricultural industry and agribusiness in the region. He also farms with his wife and 4 children, raising crops and feeding cattle. Jason is also involved in his family’s Milling business, Haldeman Mills Inc. HMI manufactures food-grade corn products strictly for human consumption.
Dustin Dreyfuss
Membership Committee; Horse Council; Poultry Council
Dustin Dreyfuss
Membership Committee; Horse Council; Poultry Council
Dustin Dreyfuss currently serves as President at York Ag Products, Inc., based in Manheim, Pennsylvania. A Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences graduate, Dustin has a diverse history in sales and operations across the equine, dairy, and poultry industries. He strives to strike a balance between the time-honored traditions of the industry and new and more efficient ways to serve both internal and external stakeholders to ensure the viability of agriculture for future generations.Dustin is proud to serve on the PennAg board amongst many industry colleagues, having seen both the direct impact PennAg has had on his own organization as well as the industry overall, particularly PennAg’s crucial role in helping Pennsylvania poultry farmers navigate the challenges of highly pathogenic avian influenza.It is a privilege to both navigate the challenges of today and to help address future planning to ensure PennAg is poised to bring value to the industry long into the future.
Andy Ernst
Membership Committee; Seed & Agronomic Products Council
Andy Ernst
Membership Committee; Seed & Agronomic Products Council
Andy Ernst is the owner of Ernst Conservation Seeds and Ernst Biomass in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he actively oversees seed production, industry innovation, and strategic growth of the business. Ernst Seeds, the largest native seed producer and supplier in the eastern United States, was founded by his father, Calvin, on 9,000 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. In 2025, Andy was inducted into the Hall of Fame and was an award recipient from the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association (PLNA). In 2015, the Atlantic Seed Association named him Seedsman of the Year for his innovation and advocacy with the native seed industry.
Sam Strawser
Membership Committee; Poultry Council
Sam Strawser
Membership Committee; Poultry Council
Sam Strawser is a Regional Sales Manager at Best Veterinary Solutions, Inc., with more than 17 years of experience in the commercial poultry industry. He specializes in technical service and works closely with customers to identify challenges, develop practical solutions, and help drive successful outcomes.<br>Sam holds a degree from Delaware Valley University and brings a hands-on, customer-focused approach to his work. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Melissa, and their son while working on their family farm in Thompsontown, Pennsylvania.
Sue Diviney
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Sue Diviney
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Sue Diviney is a fifth-generation member of Agricultural Commodities Inc. (Ag Com, Inc.), a family-owned business with deep roots in the agriculture industry. She has spent 31 years with Ag Com, including more than 20 years in commodity trading. Sue began her trading career in corn and small grains before expanding her expertise into soft commodities.She currently serves as Secretary of Ag Com, Inc., and Vice President of the Commodity Trading Division. Throughout her career, she has developed extensive market knowledge, valuable industry experience, and a deep understanding of the agricultural business and the markets that drive it. As a fifth-generation member of an agricultural family, Sue brings a unique perspective to her work. Her 31 years with Ag Com, combined with decades of hands-on experience in commodity markets, have shaped her practical approach, market insight, and commitment to the agricultural industry. Outside of her professional career, Sue is a wife and mother of three. She values family, hard work, and the importance of carrying forward the traditions, relationships, and values that have played an integral role in her family’s agricultural history.
Eric Miller
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Eric Miller
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Eric Miller is Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Wenger Feeds, LLC, a leading animal nutrition and feed supplier headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Since joining the company in 2007, he has helped drive the growth of a business that produces more than 2.5 million tons of feed annually across 10 feed mills. Before joining Wenger Feeds, Eric represented New Holland Agriculture throughout New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Raised on his family’s dairy farm in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management, a minor in Economics, and a Master’s of Business Administration degree, all from Penn State University. Eric and his wife, Sarah, live in Elizabethtown with their two children. They remain actively involved in their family farm, raising over 800,000 chickens annually, growing 200 acres of cash crops, including peony flowers, and raising Belted Galloway cattle. An accomplished endurance athlete, Eric has completed 10 marathons and numerous triathlons, including an Ironman. While these achievements reflect discipline and perseverance, he considers his most rewarding athletic role to be volunteering as a coach for his children’s youth mountain bike team.
Lyle Stephens
Membership Committee; Seed & Agronomic Products Council
Lyle Stephens
Membership Committee; Seed & Agronomic Products Council
Lyle Stephens is a Territory Sales Manager with Ruveon LLC, serving agricultural retailers, dealers, and growers across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. With more than 15 years of experience in the agricultural industry, including leadership roles with GROWMARK FS, where Lyle served as a Regional Business Manager supporting agronomy, crop protection, crop nutrients, and retail business growth.Throughout his career, Lyle has focused on building strong partnerships with retailers, dealers, and growers, advancing innovative crop production practices, and driving profitable solutions for agriculture. He is passionate about strengthening the agricultural industry through advocacy, collaboration, and education and currently serves on the Pennsylvania Agricultural Industries Association Board of Directors.
Jennifer Hampshire
Membership Committee; Swine Council
Jennifer Hampshire
Membership Committee; Swine Council
Jennifer Hampshire is Vice President of White Oak Mills, Inc., where she has spent more than 33 years dedicated to the feed and agricultural industry. Throughout her career, she has remained passionate about building long-term customer relationships, overseeing the company’s strategic direction, and serving the needs of the Pennsylvania and northern Maryland ag community with high-quality feeds and services.
Courtney Shady
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Courtney Shady
Membership Committee; Feed, Grain & Allied Industry Council
Courtney (Meyer) Shady was raised on her family’s 200-cow dairy farm in Loganton, Pennsylvania. This upbringing rooted her deeply in the values of hard work, responsibility, and a love for agriculture.Today, she and her husband, Kyle, continue to live on the dairy, where they’ve expanded their rural lifestyle to include a lively hobby farm with beef cattle, pigs, a mini donkey, a mule, and a mini pony. They welcomed their first child, a son, Conrad, in January 2026 and are now proud parents. As a youth, Courtney was actively involved in Clinton County 4-H and a member of the Central Mountain FFA Chapter, experiences that sparked her lifelong dedication to agricultural leadership. She went on to earn her degree in Agribusiness Management from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences in 2013. Courtney is currently the Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) for Stevens Feed Mill, Inc., where she travels to all five of the company’s locations, building meaningful connections with producers. Other job duties include Biosecurity Coordinator and Compliance and Safety Officer.
Mark Price
Membership Committee; Poultry Council
Mark Price
Membership Committee; Poultry Council
Mark Price is the Operations Director at Maple Lawn Associates, Inc., with over 20 years of experience in Poultry Husbandry and Incubation. Previously, Mark worked for Hy-Line North America. He holds a B.S. in Dairy Production from The Pennsylvania State University. Outside of work, he enjoys hunting, fishing, golf, and spending time with his 23-year-old daughter, Amanda.
Christopher Kline
Membership & Legislative Committee; Seed & Agronomic Products Council
Christopher Kline
Membership & Legislative Committee; Seed & Agronomic Products Council
Chris Kline holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Agronomy from Delaware Valley College. He has 14 years of experience in the agriculture industry, with a primary focus on plant protection and nutrition. Most recently, Chris joined Bayer Crop Science as a Crop Protection Field Sales Representative, where he works with growers to support effective crop protection and management strategies.
Aaron Ott
Membership Committee; Swine Council
Aaron Ott
Membership Committee; Swine Council
Currently, Aaron Ott is President of Country View Family Farms, where he leads live operations, feed milling, and Ag Solutions across operations in North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.Ott has spent more than 25 years with Country View Family Farms and was one of the organization’s original team members. He began his career as a farrowing department leader and progressed through roles in farm management, regional leadership, and operations before being named President. He holds a degree in Agricultural Science with a minor in Extension Education at Penn State University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family, hunting, traveling, and gathering with others around the grill.
