Cypress, Calif. - Yamaha Motor Corp. joined more than 54,000 agriculture students and professionals at the recently-held 83rd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. There the company introduced its new partnership with the nation's leading agricultural organization through its sponsorship of the FFA's "Wildlife Production and Management -- Entrepreneurship/Placement Proficiency" award.
As the motorsports leader in the outdoors community and an award sponsor, Yamaha employees were invited to serve on a panel of judges to select a winner of the Wildlife Proficiency award from among five nominees. Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excelled as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while they gained hands-on career experience. Aaron Thomas Shawler Wheeler, of the LaRue County FFA Chapter in Kentucky, won this year's award for his work on a farm/hunt operation in Kentucky.
"Yamaha is proud to support the National FFA and its Wildlife Proficiency award and we congratulate Aaron along with the other nominees for their accomplishments," Steve Nessl, Yamaha's ATV and side-by-side (SxS) group marketing manager who was one of the panel judges, said. "We continue to be impressed by the caliber of these young people and take great pride in supporting their path of success in the field."
The Wildlife Proficiency category was one of 47 FFA proficiency awards given at this year's convention, which ran for four days this past October and included educational and leadership sessions, career development events and the National FFA Agricultural Career Show.
Yamaha also participated in the Career Show displaying the latest ATV and SxS vehicles and promoting safe riding and safety training. The company held drawings to give away riding gear-including a helmet, goggles and sweatshirt-to three lucky winners each day and provided ATV Safety Institute (http://www.atvsafety.org/) training information to the professional educators and FFA alumni in attendance.
"We simply could not provide the depth and breadth of educational and leadership opportunities without companies such as Yamaha," said Maggie Halferty, Regional Director of The National FFA Foundation. "We appreciate the advocates you have been for our future leaders in the National FFA."