Steve A. Brown, a Missouri native with a quarter-century of service to agricultural education and the National FFA Organization, has been named executive secretary of the half-million member FFA. The federally chartered FFA operates in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education.

Brown, who will assume his duties March 3, replaces C. Coleman Harris who retired in September after 46 years in agriculture education. Brown currently serves on the National FFA Board of Directors, works as a consultant to the National Council for Agricultural Education and is a former member of National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees. Since 1985, he has been Missouri's state FFA executive secretary during a time when membership has increased by 30 percent to more than 24,000 statewide.

"As a former FFA member from my boyhood days in Utah, I appreciate the contribution that the National FFA Organization makes to our country by laying the groundwork for leadership, personal growth and career success," said Troy R. Justesen, assistant secretary of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, of which the national FFA program is a component. "We look forward to Steve Brown joining the management of this outstanding organization."

"Steve's solid leadership, vision and character will serve the National FFA Organization and agricultural education well in the years to come," said Larry Case, national FFA advisor and chief executive officer. "I've had the pleasure to work with Steve in various capacities during the past two decades. I look forward to collaborating with him on a daily basis."

The National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, helps prepare students for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. Its members belong to 7,358 local FFA chapters in the 50 states, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Founded in 1928, the federally chartered FFA operates in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education, which provides leadership and helps set direction for the organization as a service to state and local agricultural education programs.

In addition to his title of national FFA executive secretary, Brown will also become a program specialist-agriculture, food and natural resources sciences within the Education Department's Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

As executive secretary and program specialist, Brown will provide leadership for FFA and agricultural education while coordinating meetings of the National FFA Organization Board of Directors and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees. He will assist Case in developing policy for agriculture programs and the FFA.

Before becoming state executive secretary, Brown taught agricultural education and was one of two FFA advisors for five years at Macon Area Vocational School in Macon, Mo. He coordinated chapter activities and fundraising in addition to handling coursework and leadership development programs.

The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more information, see the group's Web site at www.ffa.org.

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