IS— Lancaster Farming. Saturday. Saptambcr 13. 1975 Seeks new director ALEXANDRIA. VA. • Jay Hcnham, Administrative Secretary of the National FFA Alumni Association since the organization was founded haa announced that he will resign his position on February 29 to return to his family farming operation near Troy, Ohio. Employed in 1971 to organize and build a National Alumni Association for the Future Farmers of America, Benham has been largely responsible for the organization's rapid growth and initial success. Under Benham's direction the FFA Alumni Association has grown to one of the largest Alumni Associations in the nation in only five years. Forty-six states have organized and chartered State FFA Alumni Associations m the past three years and others are now in the process of ap plying for charters. At the same time, local FFA Alumni Affiliates have been chartered in several hundred communities where they work in conjunction with the vocational agriculture in struction program and the FFA to imporve education in agriculture. “FFA Alumni mem bership already reaches thousands of communities and has increased at well over the fifty percent mark each year since the association was founded,” says Benham, who points out that membership statistics for 1975 look even more promising than years past. “I’m very optimistic about the future growth of the FFA Alumni Association,"says Benham. “We’ve come from zero to nearly 17,000 members in only five years and the potential is in the millions,’’ he expalins. “It’s been exciting to see this organization grow and it is going to be even more ex citing to see the growth in the Future.” An FFA Alumni himself, Benham earned the FFA’s highest degree of mem bership - the American Farmer Degree in recognition of his own out standing farming and leadership record. He continued his interest in the home farm operation throughout four years in college anc later as a suc cessful vocational agriculture instructor in Oxford, Ohio, where he also became well known for his daily farm broadcasts over the local radio station. In recent years Benham has increased the size of the Ohio farming operation with the idea of eventually returning to Ohio and a more active role m the farming operation. “I’m really looking forward to getting back to farming,” says Benham, “although I’ve certainly enjoyed this ex perience of working with the Alumni Association.” With nennam s resignation scheduled for February 29, Jim Clouse, Chairman of the FFA Alumni Council has an nounced that the seaach is on for a replacement to be hired by January 1, 1976. Anyone interested in the position may apply prior to October 15. "We are looking for a leadership is also essential." P*f* on . wh ° *?** For further information or ability to organize, details, persons Interested in and administer a rapidly position should contact growing natliona l l Jay Benham. FFA Alumni organization, tityt • Administrative Secretary, adding that a strong belief p 0 1505# A | cxandr j oi In agriculture and Virginia 22309. Telephone agr cultura education as 703 Certified Crop Care 1 Center Peed -13.97