“The objective and focus of the program are exactly what large producers need. The opportunity to spend a solid week learning from and challenging the best in the industry was the most dynamic |
Accelerate your knowledge and understanding of today’s complex management issuesManaging personnel, evaluating new market opportunities, adapting to regulatory and technology changes - a commercial farming or ranching operation faces the same issues and requires the same skills as any other commercial business. Sharpen your management and leadership skillsAs a Program attendee, you'll spend an intensive week in classroom sessions with some of the nation’s most prominent faculty members, many of whom also own, manage or participate in commercial farming and ranching operations. After the daily class sessions, you'll take part in individual study and roundtable discussions with your classmates - some of the leading producers in the country and from around the world. The study will be intensive and the days will be long, but at the end of your session, you'll be better able to manage the issues facing complex farm and ranch businesses. Come prepared to learn, and be ready to leave your business responsibilities at home.
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“It has forever changed how I manage my
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Extensive Focus on Today’s Farm Business and Management Issues• Increasing efficiency and productivity • Salesmanship World Class, State-Of-The-Art Facilities
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Program OutlineUNIT I (for new TEPAP participants, January 14 - 20, 2007) Family Business Management Strategic Management Megatrends Marketing (choose 1 of 3) • Market Growth Strategies • Ag Business in a Global Market • Salesmanship Financial Management I Human Resources Management I Understanding & Working with Different Personalities Management Transition: Small to Mid-Sized Business Public Relation Plans: What, Why and How UNIT II (for current TEPAP participants, January 14-20, 2007)
How To Enroll
Unit I for new participants is scheduled for January 14-20, 2007, and Unit II for January 13-19, 2008. Notifications of withdrawal from the program received in writing by December 15, 2006, qualify for a 75 percent refund. Cancellations received after that date will be charged one-half the program fee. Participant substitutions may be made up to 1 week before the program, subject to approval by the program director. A typical day in the program has four major activities—classes, informal roundtable discussions, individual study, and small group discussions—held from early morning until late evening. Be prepared to leave your business responsibilities at home. |
“This was the best money I ever spent.” |
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To Prospective Participants, Because I won’t have the opportunity to visit with most of you who receive this brochure, the purpose of this letter is share with you what I tell the people who call. Over the past 16 years, the TEPAP program has given me the opportunity to get to know some of the best farmers and ranchers in North America. They have covered the spectrum of commodity producers, differentiated product/niche market operations, and qualified suppliers for coordinated supply chains. They have represented a variety of business arrangements and have included everything from single-site farms and ranches to multi-county, multi-state and even multi-national operations. However, nearly all have been closely held family and owner-managed businesses. Only 12 of the nearly 900 participants to date have been employees of publicly traded, investor owned companies. I can't tell anyone that the program is just what they need or that it will meet all their expectations. But, I can tell you what it is designed to do and how I answer some of the more frequently asked questions. There is no question that the program is expensive relative to traditional extension, commodity association and farm organization programs. At the same time, its cost is low relative to comparable business school executive education programs. Most farmers and ranchers I know own an ATV, jet ski, snowmobile or motorcycle, and frequently more than one. Knowing what they cost, it obviously isn't as much a matter of spending the money as it is whether you believe TEPAP can have a more positive impact on your business than other places you have or will choose to use the funds. The program offers no guarantee of success; but, it will broaden your perspective, expose you to alternative points of view and in the long run should help improve your odds. |
The faculty comes from throughout the country - from the private sector, from land grant universities and from business schools. At the end of the program, I meet with each class for a debriefing to take the program apart. Rather than reacting to a few strong negative or positive comments, I want a consensus opinion of what feedback I need to give the faculty, which faculty members or topics need to be changed, and what topics that aren't included need to be added. Continuous improvement in the program is just as important as it is in your business. Regardless of how good the faculty is, you will learn as much from the other participants as you do the instructors. Every year I talk to participants who have been thinking about doing something for years; but, family, friends or neighbors have convinced them that it was too high risk or had already been tried and didn't work. Then they meet someone at the program who is already doing it. About 85 percent of those who start the program finish both years. TEPAP isn't a silver bullet. It is unlikely that it will be a life saver for a business that is on its last leg. While a light at the end of the tunnel may appear for some, the objective is to challenge your thinking, to open you up to new possibilities and to help you manage your business more strategically. The final question I am usually asked is what is available in the way of continuing education and networking after someone finishes the program. For those who are interested, 12 years ago the graduates of TEPAP formed the Association of Agricultural Production Executives (AAPEX). This group holds a 3-day annual meeting at different locations throughout the country. The meetings include practitioner panels, seminars, case studies, and topical roundtables. The organization has also sponsored overseas management study trips and conferences with major agribusiness firms. Some graduates attend every year, others participate when the topics or location fit their interests and schedule. In any event, all TEPAP graduates receive an agenda and invitation each year. Whether or not you decide to attend TEPAP, I wish you the best in your future endeavors. Danny Klinefelter |
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FACULTYGREGORY E. BILLIKOPF is a Farm Labor Management Specialist with the University of California. He is author of the book Labor Management in Agriculture: Cultivating Personnel Productivity. |
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MICHAEL D. BOEHLJE is Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. He was formerly Department Head at the University of Minnesota and Assistant Dean of the College of Agriculture at Iowa State University. |
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BERNIE ERVEN is Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University and President of Erven HR Services. He specializes in programs focused on the planning, organizing, staffing and leading functions of management and issues related to human resource management, transferring the family business to the next generation and farm labor laws and regulations. |
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ALLAN W. GRAY is Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. He received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. He coordinates Purdue’s Executive M.B.A. in Food and Agribusiness and teaches strategic management in the Executive Institute for Agricultural Producers. |
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NEIL E. HARL is Charles F. Curtis Distinguished Professor in Agriculture at Iowa State University. He is author of Farm Estate and Business Planning and the 15-volume Agricultural Law and Agricultural Law Manual. He is a Fellow of both the American Agricultural Economics Association and the American Bar Foundation. |
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STEVE HOFING is Managing Partner of Centrec Consulting in Champaign, Illinois. He was formerly with the management consulting department of Peat Marwick. |
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DONALD JONOVIC, PH.D. specializes in management organization, succession planning, and the management of change in closely held companies. The author of six books, he also writes a monthly column on family business issues in Successful Farming.
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| JOHN B. KAUKE “Alone No More: Conducting Ag Business in a Global Market” is President of Global Market Linkage based in Carson City, Nevada. His firm helps companies discover, define and develop new markets and new ways to market their products. He formerly served as the Latin American Export Manager for the Carnation Company. He has consulted with more than 300 small to mid-sized food and agriculture companies exploring and developing export opportunities. |
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COREY HAMILTON KILGORE is an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University at Kingsville, Texas where her primary focus is assisting with the design and development of the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management. |
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DANNY KLINEFELTER is Professor of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University and Director of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers. He serves as Executive Secretary for the Association of Agricultural Production Executives and is President of Klinefelter Farms. He is author of seven books on agricultural finance and farm business management. |
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DAVID M. KOHL is Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Finance and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship at Virginia Tech. He is author of four books and more than 225 journal articles. He has twice been the recipient of the American Agricultural Economics Association’s Outstanding Teaching Award. |
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GARY MAAS is owner and managing partner of AgriCareers, Inc., an agricultural recruiting and personnel consulting firm based in Massena, Iowa. He spent 10 years in sales management with a Fortune 100 company. |
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MIKE MAZZOCCO is Director of the Food and Agribusiness Management Program and Assistant Dean for Corporate Relations at the University of Illinois specializing in decision analysis, strategy implementation, operations management and analysis of firms in the food and agribusiness sector. |
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JIM NOLEN is President of CFO Services and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Finance at the University of Texas and assistant director of the Center for Small and Middle-Sized Business. |
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DAVID PARKER is a Partner and Vice President of ABG, a training and consulting firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. He delivers nearly 100 presentations annually, in the areas of sales, value-based solutions, coaching and supervision skills, team development, and communications |
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MAURICE RUSSELL is President of Russell Consulting Group. He provides consulting services to clients throughout the Midwest specializing in risk management services, human resource management, business planning and feasibility analysis |
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ED SIEFRIED is Professor of Economics and Business at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He serves on the faculty of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, School of Banking of the South, Graduate School of Retail Bank Management, and the American Bankers Association Business of Banking School. |
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MIKE WELCH is on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago, where he teaches courses in strategic management and the legal environment of business. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University. Before joining the faculty at Loyola, he served as the Vice President for The Quaker Oats Company in Chicago. |
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JACK WILLIAMS is a consultant with BayGroup International. He has trained executives around the world in improving their negotiation skills. He was the highest rated presenter at the Association of Agricultural Production Executives annual meeting and has worked with the businesses of several TEPAP graduates. |
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R. L. ‘DICK’ WITTMAN manages a 14,000 acre crop, cattle and timber operation in northern Idaho. He received his M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Utah. He worked in the Farm Credit System for eight years including serving as the Senior Supervisory Officer for the Farm Credit Administration. He currently serves as a director of the National Farm Financial Standards Council. |
APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION
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12. List your work experience, beginning with your current position. If you have held different positions with the same firm, list them sequentially.
13. List schools you have attended, including high school, colleges, and management programs.
The Following Information Will Be Kept Confidential: 14. What activities comprise your business? Please indicate what percent of total gross income is represented by each segment of your business. 15. What do you consider to be your principal enterprise? 16. What are the approximate annual gross sales of your business from farming/ 17. How many people, including yourself, are actively involved in the management 18. How many employees (below the management level) are involved in your 19. How would you describe your business organization? 20. Briefly indicate why you wish to attend the program. Signature ______________________________________ Date __________________________________________ Return to:
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The fee for TEPAP 2007 is $3,500 per participant. The fee is payable upon notice of acceptance. Notifications of withdrawal from program participation must be submitted in writing. Notifications received by Friday, December 15, 2006, will qualify for a 75 percent refund. Cancellations received after December 15, 2006, will be charged one-half the program fee to cover housing costs and related expenses which the program cannot recover. Substitutions may be made up to one week before the start of the program subject to the approval of the program director.
Questions?
Visit our Website at http://tepap.tamu.edu, or email the program director at danklinefelter@tamu.edu.
