AgWired

Seriously, you’ve got to like an organization that gives you cash. That’s what Kathi Conrad, NAMA staff, was doing before the first general session yesterday. It all made sense when conference chairperson, Barry Nelson, talked about positive thoughts and getting a dollar for each one and how many we’d have in our pocket at the end of the event. Actually, did I hear him say at one point, ” . . . a dollar full of pockets.”? Hmm.

Anyway, I’m at the airport waiting on a flight so I have no idea how many posts I’ll get done. Whatever doesn’t get done today will get done tomorrow now won’t it? Don’t forget that I’ve also been posting onto the NAMA Blog so you can find posts there too.

I learned that someone at the NAMA Convention is engaged to be married.

So to add some fun to your Friday afternoon I’m going to let you guess who. The first person to post the correct name of who’s hand this is will get a pair of ZimmComm retractable ear buds.

Just use the comment feature at the bottom of the post. We do have it back in place and working.

Post Update: Dave Anderson, Alpha Scouts, is the first person to comment correctly that the hand and the ring belong to Sally Behringer, Nicholson Kovac. He’ll receive his prize via mail this coming week.

Here’s the winner of the ZimmComm New Media/Truffle Media Networks iPhone drawing. She’s Paige Gilligan, Agrestic Solutions & Innovations. Pictured with her are me to the left and Aaron Gilbertie, Truffle on the right.

The latest buzz is that the iPhones will become available starting in June so we’ll ship Paige her iPhone just as soon as they’re available. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered our drawing or enjoyed a Godiva chocolate truffle.

The NAMA Connection Point just closed up and I’ll have more pictures and announcements coming. It’s reception time once again so I thought I’d just get this quick post up before heading out. I’ve got the photo album updated though (over 265 in there so far).

What a day it has been here at the NAMA convention. I’ll have lots of posts over the next couple days so don’t go away.

One of the things I’ve been able to do some more of today is interviews like this one here with Tom Slunecka, Executive Director of EPIC.

My interview with Tom will actually be used for an upcoming episode of the EPIC podcast, “Fill Up Feel Good.”

I’ve received a lot of attention today since I’m using the Golden ZimmComm Microphone. I brought it in honor of the 50 year anniversary of the National Agri-Marketing Association.

Gary Cooper, Southeast AgNet is one of the many exhibitors here at the NAMA Connection Point. He’s also a new advertiser on AgWired as I hope you’ve noticed. Let Gary know you saw his ad would you?

The list of companies and organizations that either use display advertising or sponsor my event coverage continues to grow and I appreciate it. It’s what makes the development of AgWired possible. Most of you probably also know that we produce some of the programming for Gary’s radio network too.

How about offering your support for a creative campaign here on AgWired for your company?

You’ve probably never seen these guys before so if you don’t know who they are I’ll tell you. This is Orion Samuelson, WGN Radio/RFD-TV and below is Max Armstrong, WGN Radio.

They were the masters of ceremonies at the Best of NAMA Awards.

Since the program had to move along faster this year it’s a good thing to have broadcasters handle these duties I think and they did a great job.

I guess if you’re going to Think Big you need to have some big names on stage.

At the start of the show they even had a live on-screen interview with President Bush from the White House (actually an actor). Orion asked him questions and he had all the answers. It was hilarious.

I really like the way the Best of NAMA was handled this year and as an exhibitor in the NAMA Connection Point (trade show) I was happy that it was completed earlier than normal so people could come relax for and visit for a while before going to supper.

Today we’ve got 3 sessions in the trade show so there’ll be a lot more opportunities to meet with some of the over 900 attendees at this year’s conference.

Now this is important stuff and thanks to Carol Anderson, I have the results of the ABEF Golf Tournament.

They are:

Longest Drive: Bob Brunker
Straightest Drive: Jason Weil
Closest to Pin: John Shospak
Longest Putt – Male: Ted Haller
Longest Putt – Female: Leigh Ann Cleaver

Team Awards went to:

First Place:
Roger Reierson
David Lundquist
Matt Herman
Sheri Seger

Second Place:
Will Murphy
Bill Pool
Jim Arnold
Steve Custer

Third Place:
Ted Haller
Bill Farmakis
Bob Brunker
Marvin Kokes

The Best of NAMA Awards were a really well done production again this year. The committee for it was led by Jim Haist (left) and Steve Engle who also handed out the awards. The full list of winners will be published in the April issue of AgriMarketing magazine. They have provided a short list for you though:

Last evening at its annual Best of NAMA celebration held in Dallas, TX, the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) presented 61 first place awards for outstanding ag communications activities during 2006.

* Colle+McVoy-9
* archer>malmo-4
*B ader Rutter-4

There really is too much going on here at NAMA for one blogger to handle. I’d love to spend a lot more time with the students for example. Maybe next year I’ll get my student blogger intern idea off the ground.

Here’s Gator NAMA, one of several chapters that made it into the finals. I don’t have the full list but I do know that Ohio State’s NAMA chapter also made it. Now isn’t that cool? If you don’t know why then I guess you don’t follow college football and basketball.

Go Gators! (I’m a 1980 grad in case you don’t know that)