FFAA For Fertile Minds: Gentle Giants
September 1, 2009 
Every industry stands on the shoulders of giants — those men and women whose leadership, contributions, and integrity shaped the future for those who would follow. Florida agriculture is full of those kind of leaders, and it is appropriate that we take time to honor their service.
Bassett Bestowed With Honor
The Florida fertilizer and agrichemical industry has been blessed with many giants. And it was the pleasure of the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association (FFAA) to honor Aglime Sales President Ray Bassett — one of our industry’s gentlest giants — with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bassett, 80, humbly received the association’s highest honor during FFAA’s 77th Annual Meeting held in July. The grandson of Bowling Green dirt farmers, Bassett graduated from the University of Florida and served as a captain in the Army Reserve on active duty during the Korean War. He returned to Polk County after the war, became an accountant with Bunting Tripp and Ingley in Lake Wales, married, and became a citrus grower.
He joined the Florida agchem industry when he went to work for Dolime Minerals Co. in Bartow. He founded Aglime Sales in Babson Park 20 years ago in partnership with Emil Jahna and later the Jahna children. Today, Aglime Sales, Florida’s largest agricultural limestone company, is wholly-owned by the Bassett family.
Throughout his career, Bassett has been known for his kindness, integrity, professionalism, and service to others. He was FFAA’s chairman of the board in 1996-1997, and was a longtime member and president of the Bartow Rotary, where he was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Bassett was widowed and is now married to Karen, whom he met at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lake Wales where he was treasurer. As a fiscal conservative, he invited her to join him at the church’s fellowship hour for free coffee! Between them, Ray and Karen have seven children.
FFAA Chairman Gaylon Pfeiffer presented Bassett with the FFAA Lifetime Achievement Award, noting it was given in grateful recognition and appreciation of “outstanding leadership, unselfish service, and lifelong devotion to Florida’s agribusiness industries.”
At The Helm
Another highlight of FFAA’s Annual Meeting was the election of officers and directors.
Gaylon Pfeiffer, a value chain specialist in Tampa for BASF Corp., was elected FFAA’s chairman of the board. Justin Bunch, marketing manager-Florida Division for Crop Production Services in Mulberry, was elected FFAA’s vice chairman. Larry McCauley was elected secretary/treasurer. McCauley, based in Lakeland, is an account manager for DuPont Crop Protection. The three officers were elected by the FFAA board to serve a one-year term and are eligible for re-election.
Outgoing FFAA 2007-2009 Chairman Brent Sutton was thanked for his leadership and received a chairman’s plaque featuring a meeting gavel engraved with his name and years of service. Sutton is president and general manager for Growers Fertilizer Corp. in Lake Alfred. He will continue to serve on FFAA’s Executive Committee as immediate past chairman.
During the Annual Meeting, FFAA members also re-elected the following to serve a three-year term on the board of directors: Jay Hallaron, Chemtura Corporation, Windermere; Randy Haskins, Harrell’s Inc., Lakeland; Joe Hodges, The Andersons Inc., Maitland; Larry McCauley, DuPont Crop Protection, Lakeland; Brent Sutton, Growers Fertilizer Corp., Lake Alfred; Jesse Wooten, Ben Hill Griffin Inc., Frostproof. Elected to the FFAA board for the first time is Jack Conroy, an account manager with Monsanto, based in Winter Haven.
Strick Gresham with MANA Crop Protection was honored with a plaque for his three years of service on the board and as chairman of FFAA’s Government Affairs Committee. Gresham is based in Winter Haven.
Congratulations to all these FFAA leaders for their service.
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