Candidates Gear Up for 2016 Convention Elections
The officer seat of president is up for election. It is currently held by Terry Detrick, Ames. He runs unopposed.
Terry Detrick
Terry Detrick is a life-long, second-generation AFR member. He was first elected to the OFU Board of Directors in 1986 and served as vice president from 1988 to 1992. After serving as president of the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association and then the National Association of Wheat Growers, he returned in 1998 as OFU Vice President and Director of Farm Programs. He was named AFR/OFU President in 2009.
Detrick currently represents American Farmers & Ranchers and agriculture in many capacities: President of the Oklahoma Wheat Research Foundation; chairman, Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program Executive Board; board of directors, Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association. He is also a member of the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, the State Chamber of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Dean of Agriculture Advisory Council, the Kansas City Federal Reserve Food & Agriculture Advisory Roundtable and the Oklahoma and National Cattleman’s Associations. He holds a federal appointment to the USDA Cattleman’s Beef Board.
As a strong supporter of youth, Detrick has been awarded the Honorary Chapter, Honorary State and Honorary American FFA Degrees, the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources’ Agriculture Advocate Champion award, and the highest honor Oklahoma FFA can bestow, the FFA VIP of the Year award.
Detrick is the managing agent of the Detrick Insurance Agency, founded by his father at the inception of OFU Insurance. He and his wife, Rita, proudly partner with their three sons, daughters-in-law and eleven grandchildren to keep their insurance business and family farming tradition alive.
Director, Northeast District (District 3)
The Northeast District (District 3) director seat is up for election. The seat is currently held by Jim Shelton, Vinita. Marion Schauffler, Porter, opposes.
Jim Shelton
Jim Shelton, Vinita, joined the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Farmers Union and the
American Farmers & Ranchers Mutual Insurance Company in 2012.
Shelton retired from the Oklahoma State Bank of Vinita in January 2010 after a 35-year banking career. Shelton graduated from Oklahoma State University with bachelor’s in animal science and from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He received the Honorary State FFA degree in 2012. Shelton has earned Farm Mutual Director Certification from the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.
Shelton was a member of Class I of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program and Class XIV of Leadership Oklahoma. His involvement in local and state organizations includes vice-president of the Vinita Public Schools Board of Education, treasurer of the Vinita Public Schools Educational Foundation and past president of both the Vinita Lions Club and the Vinita Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Cherokee Hills RC&D Council.
Shelton is a former director of the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association, the OSUAA Leadership Council and the OSU Animal Science Alumni Association. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Holistic Management International, Albuquerque, N.M., and is an elder of the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita.
Shelton and his wife, Sara, have been members and supporters of AFR/OFU for more than 27 years. They have a commercial cow/calf and stocker cattle ranch near Vinita. They have four grown children—two sons and two daughters—and two grandchildren.
Marion Schauffler
Marion Schauffler was raised on his family’s farm near Porter, Okla. He attended both Coweta and Porter Schools, graduating in 1966 from Porter High School. Schauffler continued his education at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, earning his associate degree in 1968. He completed his degree in agricultural education at OSU in 1970.
Schauffler taught vocational agriculture at Lowry City, Mo., and Harrisonville, Mo., from 1970 to 1979. In 1979, he returned to Oklahoma where he accepted a position with Farm Credit originating loans for farmers, ranchers and rural residents. He retired from Farm Credit in September 2012. Schauffler also served in the Army National Guard from 1970 to 1976.
Schauffler has been involved in many civic organizations. He has served on the Porter School Board, the Wagoner County Cattlemen’s Association Board and is currently serving as president of the Wagoner County AFR. In 2012, he served on the AFR State Policy Committee. Schauffler is currently serving on the Indian Capital Technology Center School Board.
He and his wife, Francie, reside on a ranch near Porter and operate a stocker cattle and hay operation. They have two sons, Scott and Barry, and three grandchildren. Much of their time is spent attending their grandchildren’s activities. The Schaufflers are also active members of CrossPoint Baptist Church in Coweta.
At-Large #3 Director
The At-Large #3 director seat is up for election. The seat is currently held by Mike Humble, Cache. Keith Miller, Wynnewood, opposes.
Mike Humble
Mike Humble, Cache, has been an AFR/OFU agent for 15 years. He has served as the At-Large #3 Director for the past three years and has earned the NAMIC Farm Mutual Director Certification.
Humble has been an active member of Oklahoma Farmers Union, serving on the AFR/OFU State Policy Committee for three years—two of those years as chairman. He has also served on the National Farmers Union Policy Committee and lobbied in Washington, D.C., for the 2008 Farm Bill.
Some of Humble’s most memorable times are those involving Oklahoma Farmers Union activities. His Farmers Union background began when he attended the OFU summer camps at a young age. His five children have all followed in his footsteps by also attending OFU summer camps. His one-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter, Piper, attended the OFU Leadership Summit banquet this summer.
Throughout his life, Humble has been an active supporter of 4-H and FFA and has received the Honorary State FFA Degree. He has served on the Comanche County Fairgrounds Trust Authority for 22 years.
Humble and his wife, Sherry, have been married for 47 years. They have five children—Erica, Haylie, Colton, Chayton and Chelsea—and one precious granddaughter, Piper Lynn. The Humbles’ daughter Chelsea is also an AFR Insurance agent.
Keith Miller
Keith Miller grew up on a small family farm near Comanche. He was active in 4-H and served as FFA chapter president. After graduating in 1984, he attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) and later earned a bachelor’s in business from East Central University.
Miller has been a part of the AFR family as an agent for the past ten years and as an adjuster for the six years prior. He serves as an officer on the Garvin County Farmers Union Cooperative. His experience as an agent and adjuster for AFR has helped to further develop his leadership and management skills.
Miller is actively involved in his community. He has served as president of the Pauls Valley Kiwanis, is a member of Valley Lodge #6 Masonic Lodge in Pauls Valley and was elected to two terms on the Wynnewood School Board, where he served as president. He is an active volunteer in the Wynnewood and Lindsay school communities and was active in the development of the Wynnewood Sports Complex.
Miller has been married to his wife, Andrea, for nearly 28 years. They own a 100-acre farm in Garvin County, are members of the First Baptist Church of Wynnewood and have been AFR/OFU members for more than 25 years.
The Millers have two children—Cody, 26, and Alexandra, 23. Cody graduated from OSU with a degree in marketing; Alexandra is currently a senior at OSU.