Gary Wright, farm management specialist, to be housed in Woodbury County.

AMES – Iowa State University Extension announced two new staff hires for Northwest Iowa including a new farm management specialist, to be housed in Woodbury County; and a new youth coordinator, to be housed in Osceola County.

Woodbury County

Gary Wright, an Iowa State alumnus with extensive experience in agricultural finance and production, has joined ISU Extension as a farm management specialist.

Wright will work with farmers and producers in Lyon, Osceola, Sioux, O’Brien, Plymouth, Cherokee, Woodbury, Dickinson, Emmet, Clay, Palo Alto, Buena Vista and Pocahontas counties.

Wright’s roots in northwest Iowa are deep, with more than 20 years of experience working in that area of the state.

Ashley Peters, youth coordinator, to be housed in Osceola County.

The co-owner and operator/manager of family row crop LLC operations in the area, Wright has also worked as a credit officer, vice president of finance and director of human resources in the agricultural finance industry.

Most recently he has served as a consultant for the Northwest Iowa Farm Business Association in Spencer, and as the agricultural marketing director for Heartland Farm Partners in Lincoln, Nebraska.

He has educational experience, spending three years as an adjunct instructor at Western Iowa Technical and Community College.

Additionally, Wright has earned multiple leadership certifications.

“Gary already is familiar with northwest Iowa and has a deep background in farm financial management,” said Chad Hart, farm management team leader at ISU. “We are adding someone with experience advising diversified farms, has worked on the lending side and has a passion for educating people on agriculture.

“He is an educator with an outgoing personality who brings a wealth of experience to the team.”

Wright holds a degree in agricultural business and finance from ISU and has a master’s of business administration from the University of South Dakota.

Osceola County

Ashley Peters follows Mike Compton whose final day will be Tuesday.

Compton served as the Osceola County youth coordinator for five years.

“Mike did a great deal for Osceola County’s youth programs throughout the past few years and he will definitely be missed,” Cheryl Heronemus, regional Extension education director, said. “But we are very happy to bring Ashley aboard and are excited to see her continue building and strengthening the 4-H youth programs in Osceola County.”

Peters is a 2009 graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University, where she studied biology and environmental science.

She has previously worked for Merck Animal Health, Covance Laboratories and as an emergency medical technician.