Six brothers of Beta Theta Chapter (Middle Tennessee State) represented AGR at the university’s Fraternity and Sorority Life awards ceremony. Brother Alex Lyczkowski, former Noble Ruler of the chapter, received the IFC President of the Year award.
Brothers Jacob Clapp and Seth McClaskey of Delta Chapter (Purdue) won individual awards at the university’s 2025 Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life Awards Night. Brother Clapp received the IFC Scholar of the Year award and Brother McClaskey received the IFC Philanthropist of the Year Award. The chapter was also honored to be named a finalist for the IFC Chapter of the Year award.
Brother Adam Knapp of Kappa Chapter (Nebraska) received first place, winning $15,000 in the New Venture Competition hosted by the Center of Entrepreneurship. Participants’ venture ideas are put into motion through this competition by pitching their ideas or ventures to panels of founders, investors and leaders in the entrepreneurship community.
Three brothers of Alpha Omega Chapter (Murray State) were recognized for their outstanding academics at the Hutson School of Agriculture Awards Banquet. Brother Allen Everett received the Outstanding Graduate Student award, Brother Clayton Litchfield received the Outstanding Junior Award and Brother Tanner Brockman received the Outstanding Senior Award.
Brother Alex Katzakian of Alpha Kappa Chapter (Tennessee-Knoxville), who is the current Noble Ruler, was named Herbert Student of the Year.
Brother Brad Doyle of Beta Epsilon Chapter (Arkansas State) was selected to be on the NASA Acres Farmer Innovation Ambassador Team (FIAT).FIAT is an evolving platform/network and testbed of early-adopter farmers, crop consultants and information multipliers who want to make satellite data for agriculture an implementable reality. This is a first of its kind collaboration between NASA and farmers who rely on, and will readily use, agriculturally based data from all the satellites available.
Brother Dennis Spies of Beta Alpha Chapter (Southern Illinois) was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Joliet. Brother Dennis Spies is a Bishop with Diocese of Joliet and has served as the Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet and Titular Bishop of Cencuilana. In his new position, he brings with him more than two decades of pastoral, administrative and formational experience.
Brother Ronald Croy of Beta Alpha Chapter (Southern Illinois) retired from his job as a Highway Maintainer with the Illinois Department of Transportation in August 2025. He is currently living halftime in Titusville, Florida.
Brother Steve Haring, Ph.D. of Lambda Chapter (Minnesota) launched Virginia Agroecology Services, an agronomy firm focused on sustainable and regenerative agriculture. Prior to his startup, Brother Haring spent more than a decade as an agricultural researcher and extensionist.
Brother Frank Santiago of Alpha Pi Chapter (Arizona) joined Syngenta Professional Solutions as the Western District Sales Manager in the Turf & Ornamental business. Brother Santiago will oversee eight territory managers in the west district. He brings with him extensive regional and industry experience.
Two brothers of Alpha Delta Chapter (Montana State) were recently recognized by the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) for exemplary performance and dedication to agricultural education. Brother Justin Heupel and Brother Milford Wearley were both recognized as national award recipients for NAAE Region I at the national conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in December, 2025.
Brother Justin Mason of Alpha Omega Chapter (Murray State) is the APEX 2025 Wrangler Award winner by the REALTORS® Land Institute. This award goes to the land professional with the largest number of land real estate transaction sides closed that year. Brother Mason also received the Region 9 Broker of the Year award in both Auction Land Sales and Residential Land Sales. He was recognized for these accomplishments at the 2026 National Land Conference in March. Brother Mason is a part of the MW Land Team, a team of Whitetail Properties Land Specialists focused on land sales in Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois.
Brother Jim Spain of Theta Chapter (Missouri) received the Dana Brown Haynes Distinguished Service Award from the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Alumni Association. Brother Spain is a CAFNR Faculty member and the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Brother Spain has spent more than three decades advancing the mission of CAFNR and the University of Missouri. After serving as assistant dean for academic programs in CAFNR, he was named vice provost in 2007. In this role, he chairs the Undergraduate Deans’ Council and oversees the university’s general education curriculum while continuing to serve as a faculty advisor for students in animal sciences.
Brother Kayden Guymon of Theta Chapter (Missouri) received the Young Alumni Award from the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Alumni Association. Brother Guymon serves as the director of regulatory affairs and policy counsel for the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation, where he directs policy analysis on state and federal agricultural regulations. He was recognized for his commitment to the University of Missouri as the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity Alumni Board President and is an RVP for the National Fraternity. He is also a founding member of the Mizzou Greek Alliance, advocating for the fraternity community on the University of Missouri camp.
Alpha Chi Chapter at Western Kentucky University received five awards and four brothers were recognized at the university's annual awards convocation. Among those awards, the chapter received the Alumni Development Award, they placed first in the overall 2026 Greek Week results, as well as first in Events Day and the Blood Drive and they placed second in the Tug contest. Four brothers, Spencer Campbell, Collin Cook, Ethan Getman and Kenny Hesselson, were all inducted into the University's Greek Hall of Fame.
