News Release from the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Delegates Elect Officers to Lead Statewide Conservation Association
Indianapolis - Delegates to the Annual Business Meeting of the (IASWCD) recently elected officers to lead the association through the coming year. The election was held at the conclusion of the Association's 65th Annual Conference for Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Indianapolis. Nearly 500 conservationists from across the state convened in the capital city for The Power of Conservation: Are You Connected?
Leading the IASWCD this year is:
| President: |
Jim Droege, Posey County SWCD, Mt. Vernon |
| Vice President: |
Paula Baldwin, Marion County SWCD, West Newton |
| Secretary: |
Ray McCormick, Knox County SWCD, Vincennes |
| Treasurer: |
Jeff Meinders, Ripley County SWCD, Milan |
Jim Droege is serving his second term as president of the IASWCD. A lifelong resident of Posey County,  he is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana with a bachelor's degree in accounting. He and his wife, Carol, have a daughter, Christy, and two sons, Michael and Sam.
Droege currently serves as chair of the Posey SWCD. He has also held the Southwind Region director positions, director-at-large on the IASWCD executive committee and IASWCD treasurer and secretary. He also served on the District Visits development task force and as a member of the District Visits team. Droege currently serves on the Posey County Farm Bureau, Inc. board and serves on the state Farm Bureau Natural Resources Committee.
Droege operates a corn, wheat and soybean farm in partnership with his brother, Paul,employing conservation tillage and no-till practices. With a commitment to stewardship of the land, Jim and Paul have constructed many conservation projects, such as WASCOB’s (water and sediment control basins) and waterways on their own farm as well as rented land.
Droege also is involved with his church, Zion Lippe United Church of Christ. He was instrumental in establishing the Partners-For-Food program in the church. He teaches the confirmation age Sunday school class and is part of a group that prepares meals for the homeless shelter several times a year.
 Paula Baldwin grew up on a Marion County dairy farm that she now helps manage in its current crop and beef cow/calf operations. While serving on Marion County's SWCD board, she has gained a greater appreciation for not only the role farmers have in providing stewardship for the land, but also the potential of their impact on the local and state economy.
She has been very active in committee work for the Hoosier Heartland RC&D and has served on its executive committee for eight years.This experience has given her a background in educational outreach, board development and governance and promotion of conservation to the general public, businesses, government agencies, and legislators on a state, regional and national level. These experiences and skills have been used for the benefit of the Association for the past year as she fulfilled her position as vice president of the IASWCD board of directors.
Baldwin continues to serves as a member of the Marion County SWCD, is a member of the Marion County Tree Board, and has been active in the Eagle Creek Watershed Alliance and the Indy Green Print committee on natural resources. She and her husband, Tom Roseman, have a daughter, Emily.
 Ray McCormick, is a farmer and graduate of Colorado State University with a bachelor's degree in Agriculture Science. He resides in Vincennes. He is the owner and operator of a 4,000 acre grain farm in Knox County, Ind. and Lawrence County, IL. He also does wetlands consulting, design and construction; and operates a waterfowl hunting business.
McCormick is active in a number of organizations including Quail Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and PRIDE (Patoka Refuge Individuals Defending the Environment). He has been very active in wetlands protection over the years and has been featured in many videos and on national TV. McCormick has received numerous awards for his dedication to conservation and improving wildlife habitat including IDNR Conservationist of the Year in 1988; national top award winner in 1990 for the "Farming the Flyways Contest," a national wetlands conservation award from the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999; 1996 Man of the Year from Progressive Farm Magazine, and IASWCD Conservation Farmer of the Year in 2006.
He has been an active supervisor with the Knox County SWCD since 2007 and as a member of the IASWCD board as a regional director since 2007.
McCormick also serves as an alternate board member to the North Central region of the National Association of Conservation Districts board for the IASWCD.
 Jeff Meinders, IASWCD treasurer, has been a lifelong resident of Milan. He and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Chad and Heath. The Meinders are members of Saint Charles Catholic Church. He also serves on the Ripley County 4-H Fair Board. Meinders has been a SWCD supervisor for 16 years, as well as a supporter of 4-H, FFA and the Milan Wrestling team. He is serving his second term as IASWCD treasurer.
Jeff and his family’s farming program consists of corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and a herd of 65 registered Simmental cows. He also operates a construction and excavating company that constructs underground utilities and public works projects. Conservation practices include no-till, minimum till, grass waterways, livestock watering systems and pasture improvement.
Joining the officers this year are three new members to the IASWCD board of directors. Click here for a region map.
- Representing 11 counties in the North-Northeast Region is Tom Crowe, Leo, Allen Co.
- Representing 12 counties in the North-Southwest Region is Bob Weaver, Greenwood, Johnson Co.
- Representing 11 counties in the South-Southwest Region is Ray Chattin, Decker, Knox Co.
The 2008 Annual Conference also was the kickoff to the 40th anniversary of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts: 1968-2008. The IASWCD celebrates our 92 county Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the over 460 supervisors and staff connected throughout the state which are the power, strength and character of conservation and our association.
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