Young Professional Achievement Award
Front Row (L to R) Ryan Lee and Tracy Kitchel
Back Row (L to R) Hilary Amos and Jim Shertzer
Not Pictured: Jareer Abu-Ali

Jareer M. Abu-Ali
M.S. 2002, Ph.D. 2004
Food Science and Technology

Jareer earned his B.S. in Food Technology at Brigham Young University before coming to OSU for his M.S. and PhD in Food Science and Technology. Since graduating, Jareer has held positions with Quaker Foods and Snacks, and Frito Lay. Currently the Research and Development Manager-Marketing for Paramount Farms, Inc., his responsibilities include directing the development and maintenance of new consumer packaged and industrial nut products, developing specifications for new products, and managing the work of Food Scientists and Technologists.

While at Quaker Oats, Jareer led the development of new snack products from conceptualization to commercialization, including Quaker Granola Bites. He has three patents filed for snack food formulation and manufacturing platforms.

A Technical Article Reviewer for Journal of Food Science and Journal of Food Quality, Jareer also has a professional membership with the Institute of Food Technologists. He served as Recruitment Officer for the PAN Asian Employee Association at Frito Lay and volunteered as a part of Chicago Cares and the PepsiCo Global Volunteer Initiative.

Jareer recently moved to Bakersfield, California from Barrington, Illinois.

Hilary Amos
B.S. 2001
Animal Sciences

After earning her B.S. in Animal Sciences in 2001 from The Ohio State University, Hilary began working for Cargill Meat Solutions. Starting as a sales trainee, Hilary is now a Senior Key Account Sales Manager and College Recruiting Team Lead. As a recruiter, Hilary coordinates campus recruitment efforts for OSU and interviews candidates for full-time and internship opportunities. In addition to her work with Cargill, Hilary is currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota in the Carlson School of Management Part-Time MBA program.

While at OSU, Hilary studied abroad in the Czech Republic and was named a Top Ten Senior in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She also received the Waldock Brothers Award to the Outstanding Senior in Animal Sciences.

Director of Young Farmers and Ranchers for the Washington-Ramsey County Farm Bureau, she also serves on the Communications Committee of the Minnesota Hereford Breeders. Hilary is also a member of the Ohio State Alumni Club of Minnesota and the Woodbury United Methodist Church.

The daughter of Roger and Mary Jane Amos, Hilary now lives in Woodbury, Minnesota.

Tracy Kitchel
B.S. 1998, M.S. 1999
Agricultural Education

An Assistant Professor of Agricultural Education at the University of Kentucky since 2005, Tracy also serves as Director for the Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. After receiving his B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Education from OSU, Tracy worked as a teacher of Ag Ed for Archbold High School in Archbold, Ohio. After three years of teaching at the high school level, Tracy enrolled at the University of Missouri-Columbia where he earned his PhD in Agricultural Education in 2005.

Tracy’s research focuses on how teachers go from novices to experts at the secondary and postsecondary levels. He has coauthored seven research journal articles that have appeared in Journal of Agricultural Education, NACTA Journal, Career and Technical Education Research, and the Southern Journal of Agricultural Education.

While at OSU, Tracy served as President of the Agricultural Education Society and Phalanx (now known as the College Ambassadors.) Tracy has remained active with the National FFA Alumni Association and The Ohio State University Alumni Association. He is currently the president of the Bluegrass Buckeyes Alumni Club.

Tracy and his wife, Laura, currently reside in Lexington, Kentucky. They have one daughter, Isabel.

Ryan Lee
B.S. 1994
Agribusiness and Applied Economics

A partner in Lee Farms, Ryan earned his B.S. in Agribusiness and Applied Economics from The Ohio State University with a minor in Agricultural Systems Management. Since 1986 he has provided management and labor for all aspects of the 2500 acre farm that specializes in wheat and soybean seed production. From 1996 to 2006 Ryan served as General Manager of 850, Incorporated, a family owned convenience store. Ryan was responsible for the installation of bar code scanners, which helped to manage pricing and inventory. Under his watch the sales increased to nearly one million dollars.

Ryan has also served as President on the Trinity Lutheran School Board in Marysville, Ohio since 2003. Elected after seven years of declining enrollment, there have since been four years of increases. Prior to the school board, Ryan served his community as chair of the Bokes/Mill Creek Watershed Partnership. For nearly three years he promoted USDA programs for better water quality, developed consensus on land management issue between Ohio EPA and landowners, and supervised the development of a watershed action plan submitted for EPA approval.

Ryan is also on the Union County republican Party Media Committee and Chair of the Paris Township Board of Zoning Appeals. In 2007 he received the Union County Chamber of Commerce Salute to Leaders Award in the Education category.

Ryan and his wife, Kristin, reside in Marysville, Ohio. They have three daughters, Jenna, Allison, and Corinne.

Jim Shertzer
B.S. 1997
Agricultural Education

After over ten years working for AgReliant Genetics, Jim recently took a position with The Scotts Company as the Ortho Brand Marketing Manager. Jim is responsible for designing, implementing, and executing a strategic plan focusing on trade, promotions, and merchandising. He is responsible for new product launches and plays a role in forecasting and budgeting customer sales.

With AgReliant Genetics under the AgriGold Brand from 1996 to 2007, Jim had advanced to Marketing Manager in 2004. As Marketing Manager, Jim saw a profitable sales growth of 128% since 2004 through the implementation of action-oriented sales programs. He also launched new customer growth strategies which resulted in a 22% increase in customer base for the AgriGold brand.

Jim graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Agricultural Education and a minor in Agribusiness and Finance Management in 1997. In 2007, he received his M.B.A. from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

A member of OSU’s President’s Club, Jim is also on the ATZ Honorary Alumni Board and active with the FFA Foundation.

Jim and his wife, Julie, reside in Dublin, Ohio.