Dave is a certified industrial hygienist and certified safety professional, who has held multiple positions in various consultant and supervisory roles, within Workplace Safety Consultation.  He has had opportunities to work with a wide range of employers, including meat processing and other food processing facilities, providing technical assistance on industrial hygiene, safety, and ergonomics, while gaining insights and providing guidance on workplace safety & health management.  He has written and provided guidance on policies and procedures and provides general support for programs and activities administered by the Consultation unit that includes overseeing the safety grants program.  A program emphasis on farming and agriculture safety & health has created added interest in effective interventions that can help workers in this profession.

Gerardo Guerrero is the 4th Consul of Mexico in St. Paul. He has worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1987 and joined the Diplomatic Corps in 1997. Consul Guerrero has served as attorney in different legal offices within the Ministry, as well as at the Consulate in New York. He became Deputy Legal Counsel of the Ministry in 2012. He studied Law School at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, received a Master degree on international trade legal aspects at ITAM and an LLM on US Law from the University of Houston. He has taught at Universidad Iberoamericana and at the Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City.

Gene Hugoson served as Minnesota’s Commissioner of Agriculture from 1995-2011. The agency has responsibility for promoting agriculture and its products in both the U.S. and around the world but it also has numerous regulatory responsibilities. While commissioner, Hugoson served in various leadership capacitates on both the regional and national level of NASDA, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. He also has served two terms as a member on the Board of Agriculture & Natural Resources of the National Academies in Washington, DC.

Hugoson served in the Minnesota legislature for nine years before his appointment as commissioner. He also was in the U.S. military including doing a tour in Vietnam.

A graduate of Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Hugoson has a BA in history and political science and taught in the secondary education system for five years while doing graduate work at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Hugoson does some part-time constituent relations liaison work for the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition he is doing some project work for Minnesota AgriGrowth. He also continues to operate a corn and soybean farm in southern Minnesota (Martin County) with his family.

Wayne Martin was raised on a family farm in SE Iowa that produced corn, soy, pigs, beef, and sheep. He farmed for several years after high school. Peace Corps/Ecuador, 1984-86 as an Extension Educator. He received his MEd in Ag Ed at U of MN. He has done consulting in Bulgaria, Poland, and China.

From 2000-2019 Steve served as Executive Director for the MN Turkey Growers Association (MTGA), MN Turkey Research & Promotion Council (MTRPC), Chicken & Egg association of MN (CEAM), and the Midwest Poultry Federation (MPF). His responsibilities include serving as chief operating officer of MTGA, MTRPC, and CEAM and overseeing the organizations’ legislative and regulatory affairs, financial management, human resources, membership relations, and maintaining liaison activities with other commodity groups, the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, U.S. Poultry & Egg Assn, National Turkey Federation, United Egg Producers, and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute.

Steve has Bachelor of Science degrees in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Education from the University of Minnesota. He is also a graduate of the Minnesota Agricultural & Rural Leadership Program (MARL) and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.  Prior to MTGA, he most recently was employed as General Manager of Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) serving 22 counties in southwestern Minnesota. In this position, he worked with entrepreneurs, existing businesses and commodity groups on new technology and new product ideas that add value to agricultural commodities.

Prior to that Steve worked for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in Ag Planning and Development. He was a staff person working with the Feedlot and Manure Management Committee (FMMAC) and co-chaired the FMMAC Livestock Odor Task Force. He also has worked as a legislative intern for Agri-Growth Council, monitoring legislation pertaining to agriculture and rural interest, and also as a supervisor at University of Minnesota Hospital.

As a Continuing Education Program Specialist for the Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach, Ruth has a broad background in education and outreach at both academic and community levels. She has ties with academic, community and industry related organizations, has successfully coordinated program and project development and outreach activities, and is committed to effectively disseminating research to practice for underserved and select communities of agricultural workers.