About

Phone: 509-332-0408
509-595-5653

Asa Clark is a 1975 graduate from WSU with a degree in geology. With his wife Frances, they are part of an extended family farm located north of Pullman. They have three grown children and two grandchildren. Asa is the current LLC Chairman.

Phone: 509-648-3424
509-220-0739

Gary Bailey is a farmer raising wheat and barley in the St. John, Washington, area. Previously, Gary has been on committees with Northwest Farm Credit Services and St. John Grain Growers (Whitgro), and he is currently serving on the St. John Telephone Company board. He holds a BS in business and agriculture from the University of Idaho and is proud to be a Coug Dad! As a producer, he feels we are all beneficiaries of the great research done for the grain industry at WSU.

Phone: 509-539-5071

I graduated with a degree in AgTM on 2005. I now own and operate an irrigated farm north of Pasco growing 1700 acs of process potatoes along with several hundred acs of grass seed, timothy, and sweetcorn.I am active in the National Potato Council and am currently a commissioner on the Washington State Potato Commission.

Phone: 509-796-2233

Hal Johnson is a Cougar alumnus (B.A., M.A.) and a fourth generation farmer producing dryland grain crops near Reardan and Davenport, Washington. He is active in the wheat industry and his community. Hal is married to Nancy (Reinbold ’67) and his daughter’s family also lives on the farm. He is a past chairman of the LLC.

Jeff Emtman is an owner-operator of Emtman Brothers. Farms in Valleyford, Washington. The Emtmans grow direct-seed, no-till wheat and have diversified with a 300-head herd of Piedmontese cattle and direct marketing of a variety of products. Jeff is a 1992 WSU graduate with a degree in agricultural economics. He is currently representing the Bohrensen Farm on the Land Legacy Council.

Phone: 509-647-2213

Jerry Sheffels is a 1954 graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and spent two years in the US Army. He has since been involved in Washington agriculture in small grains and apples. Jerry has served on many boards including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, WWC, Whitworth University’s Gift Acceptance Committee where also he served as chairman, and the Mountain States Legal Foundation. Jerry brings experience to the LLC as a past member and chairman of the WSU Foundation Gift Acceptance Committee.

Phone: 509-282-3366

Phone: 509-332-4668

Phone: 509-868-2983

Joe Schmitz is an ’73 alumni of WSU and part of a 4th generation  farm in the Rosalia area along with his son and grandson who also are actively farming. Joe has been on various ag related boards and committees along with the current land legacy council.

Phone: 509-745-8384

Mark Thomsen and his wife, Kristen, farm in Waterville, Washington.

Phone: 509-332-8888
509-432-4809

Phil Hinrichs is the current owner and operator of Hinrichs Trading Co., a chickpea processing company located in Pullman, Washington. When asked “Why WSU?” Phil says he feels WSU has everything in place to develop productive graduates who will continue to make WSU a great land grant college for many generations to come.

Phone: 509-635-1640

Roger Pennell is the owner-operator of BNP Lentil Company in Garfield, Washington. He is a 1972 WSU graduate.

Phone: 509-725-4248

Currently, Rusty is an attorney at Carpenter, McGuire & DeWulf, P.S. Rusty advises clients in all aspects of elder law, estate planning, and estate administration. He also has extensive knowledge in all areas of agricultural law, including estate and tax planning for family, family corporations, and partnerships. Rusty serves on several Boards for Eastern Washington organizations. He is currently a trustee and board member for the Washington Wheat Foundation, Claire’s Swimming Pool Foundation, St. John Historical Society, Hayden Klaveano Foundation, and Fairfield Care. He is a member of the Lincoln, Adams, and Whitman County Bar Associations.

Phone: 509-995-5744

Tom Zwainz is a 1980 graduate of University of Idaho in agricultural education and agricultural economics. With his wife, Wendy, Tom has been farming their Zwainz homestead since 1983. Their farm was awarded the 2006 Lincoln County Conservation Farmers of the Year Award and the Zwainz were certified as Food Alliance Producers. Tom also serves as a Washington Grain Commissioner as both a member and chairman of the commission.