State Soil and Water Association Elects New Officers

Indianapolis -- The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) announces the election of new officers leading the organization for the 2012 calendar year.

Ray McCormick will serve a second one-year term as president of the organization. McCormick is a farmer and graduate of Colorado State University with a BS in Agriculture Science He resides in Vincennes and is the owner and operator of a 4,000-acre grain farm in Knox County, Ind. and Lawrence County, Ill.  

McCormick also is a wetlands consultant, and operates a waterfowl hunting business. He is active in many organizations including Quail Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and PRIDE (Patoka Refuge Individuals Defending the Environment). He has been very involved in wetlands protection over the years and has been featured in many videos and on national TV. He has received numerous awards for his dedication to conservation and improving wildlife habitat.

McCormick has been an active supervisor with the Knox County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), a member of the IASWCD board of directors, and has served as an officer for the past three years.

Jeff Meinders, a Ripley County SWCD Supervisor, will serve a second term as vice president for the IASWCD. Meinders is a lifelong resident of Milan. He and his wife, Leah, are members of Saint Charles Catholic Church. He also serves on the Ripley County 4-H Fair Board.       

Meinders has served as a SWCD supervisor for 18 years. He also is a supporter of 4-H, FFA and the Milan Wrestling team. His family's farming program consists of corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and a herd of 95 registered Simmental cows. Conservation practices include no-till, minimum till, grass waterways, livestock watering systems and pasture improvement. He also operates a construction and excavating company that constructs underground utilities and public works projects.    

Meinders previously served as the IASWCD as treasurer and secretary.

Jamie Scott, is serving as the IASWCD treasurer for another term. He is a lifelong resident of Kosciusko County, and is an active member of the family grain farm that utilizes numerous conservation practices. He has served as a Kosciusko County SWCD supervisor for eight years and is currently serving as chairman. He served as the IASWCD treasurer in 2011.          

In 2008 the Scott farm received the Conservation Legacy Award given by the American Soybean Association at the Commodity Classic. Scott also works with several area farmers in coordinating the use of cover crops.  

 Paul Cummings is the new IASWCD secretary. Cummings previously served on the board as a director from the North-Southwest Region. He is a supervisor from Owen County.  

Cummings graduated from DePauw University with a BA and went on to get his Master's Degree in Environmental Science from Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He has worked in the renewable energy field since 2006 when he worked for the State of Indiana promoting renewable energy.  

In 2008 he joined Horizon Wind Energy (now EDP Renewables) where he has worked as a wind farm developer. He assisted on the development of the Meadow Lake Wind Farm in White County Indiana and the Timber Road Wind Farm in Paulding County Ohio, just East of Fort Wayne.   

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INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

Our mission is to represent Soil and Water Conservation Districts as one voice, and to assist the leadership of local SWCDs through coordination and education for the wise use and management of our natural resources.