NAEGA Conference at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA

The NAEGA Mission is to promote and sustain the reliability of commercial agricultural exports.

It was my pleasure to photograph the NAEGA Annual Meeting in Carlsbad, CA this year. The conference was held at the beautiful Omni La Costa Resort. From executive meetings, to networking lunches…from to keynote speakers like Ted McKinney of NASDA, to a group photo and headshots for the new Board of Directors…I had a fantastic experience!

The North American Export Grains Association is the global leader in shaping commercial solutions rooted in contractual expertise, commercial knowledge and industry innovation. The organization prioritizes the exchange of trade information to pinpoint and establish feasible pre-competitive market solutions. And it maintains a steadfast commitment to outcomes that are risk proportionate and science based.

Many thanks to Alejandra Castillo for bringing me on board for this important event, and to Rebecca Cain for keeping everything organized and on track!

NASDA Annual Winter Meeting in Washington D.C. – Nationals Park Reception

I had the pleasure of getting to know Amelia when she worked for the US Grains Council. Since then, she has taken on a new role as the Associate Director of Events & Member Engagement at the
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), which she absolutely loves. I was so humbled and honored when Amelia remembered me, and reached out to see if I would fly to Washington D.C. to photograph their Annual Winter Meeting!!!

“At the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, we enhance American food and agricultural communities through policy, partnerships and public engagement. As a unified voice representing all 50 states and four territories, NASDA is a leader and problem-solver for our nation’s most pressing agricultural issues. NASDA members champion U.S. farmers, ranchers and food producers by bridging the gap between the farm and policy, representing the interests of everyone in the food supply chain and opening doors to new markets.”

This winter conference was held at The Conrad Hotel in downtown Washington D.C. Departments of Agriculture in all fifty states, plus four U.S. territories, make up the membership of NASDA. With these commissioners, secretaries, or directors of each department coming together to represent their state, this was an important meeting. I was particularly impressed with SC Commissioner Hugh Weathers, who opened the Plenary Session with a beautiful rendition of God Bless America. Keynote speakers included U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Representative Angie Craig, and the Honorable GT Thompson. But the most notable guest speaker was Brooke Rollins, who took over as the 33rd US Secretary of Agriculture in February. And of course NASDA CEO Ted McKinney stayed extremely busy throughout the meeting. I closed out my coverage of the event with a wonderful reception at Washington Nationals Park Baseball Field, which was pretty cool!!!

NASDA Annual Winter Meeting in Washington D.C. – Day 2

I had the pleasure of getting to know Amelia when she worked for the US Grains Council. Since then, she has taken on a new role as the Associate Director of Events & Member Engagement at the
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), which she absolutely loves. I was so humbled and honored when Amelia remembered me, and reached out to see if I would fly to Washington D.C. to photograph their Annual Winter Meeting!!!

“At the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, we enhance American food and agricultural communities through policy, partnerships and public engagement. As a unified voice representing all 50 states and four territories, NASDA is a leader and problem-solver for our nation’s most pressing agricultural issues. NASDA members champion U.S. farmers, ranchers and food producers by bridging the gap between the farm and policy, representing the interests of everyone in the food supply chain and opening doors to new markets.”

This winter conference was held at The Conrad Hotel in downtown Washington D.C. Departments of Agriculture in all fifty states, plus four U.S. territories, make up the membership of NASDA. With these commissioners, secretaries, or directors of each department coming together to represent their state, this was an important meeting. I was particularly impressed with SC Commissioner Hugh Weathers, who opened the Plenary Session with a beautiful rendition of God Bless America. Keynote speakers included U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Representative Angie Craig, and the Honorable GT Thompson. But the most notable guest speaker was Brooke Rollins, who took over as the 33rd US Secretary of Agriculture in February. And of course NASDA CEO Ted McKinney stayed extremely busy throughout the meeting. I closed out my coverage of the event with a wonderful reception at Washington Nationals Park Baseball Field, which was pretty cool!!!

NASDA Annual Winter Meeting in Washington D.C. – Day 1

I had the pleasure of getting to know Amelia when she worked for the US Grains Council. Since then, she has taken on a new role as the Associate Director of Events & Member Engagement at the
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), which she absolutely loves. I was so humbled and honored when Amelia remembered me, and reached out to see if I would fly to Washington D.C. to photograph their Annual Winter Meeting!!!

“At the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, we enhance American food and agricultural communities through policy, partnerships and public engagement. As a unified voice representing all 50 states and four territories, NASDA is a leader and problem-solver for our nation’s most pressing agricultural issues. NASDA members champion U.S. farmers, ranchers and food producers by bridging the gap between the farm and policy, representing the interests of everyone in the food supply chain and opening doors to new markets.”

This winter conference was held at The Conrad Hotel in downtown Washington D.C. Departments of Agriculture in all fifty states, plus four U.S. territories, make up the membership of NASDA. With these commissioners, secretaries, or directors of each department coming together to representative their state, this was an important meeting. I was particularly impressed with SC Commissioner Hugh Weathers, who opened the Plenary Session with a beautiful rendition of God Bless America. Keynote speakers included U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Representative Angie Craig, and the Honorable GT Thompson. But the most notable guest speaker was Brooke Rollins, who took over as the 33rd US Secretary of Agirculture in February. And of course NASDA CEO Ted McKinney stayed extremely busy throughout the meeting. I closed out my coverage of the event with a wonderful reception at Washingtin Nationals Park Baseball Field, which was pretty cool!!!

MUSC Cares Clinic 20th Anniversary Reception at Palmetto Brewing Company

This weekend, I had the honor of photographing a wonderful reception at the Palmetto Brewing Company, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the MUSC Cares Clinic!

“The CARES Medical Clinic is committed to providing quality healthcare at no cost to the underserved populations of South Carolina while educating future healthcare professionals through our service to these patients. We aim to: (1) Offer primary care, preventive services, and referral options at no charge to uninsured adults. (2) Expose students, early in their training, to the nuances of providing patient care to a population with diverse and ever-changing healthcare needs. (3) Foster interprofessional cooperation of students, healthcare professionals, and members of the community in addressing healthcare disparities. (4) Understand community healthcare needs through service to the underserved.”

I was photographing this assignment on behalf of my good friend and amazing photographer, Gary Colemen. Gary and I work a lot of events together that are too big for one individual to cover. He was working a different reception for MUSC at the same time. We both shoot with Nikon Z9 cameras, and a diverse host of Nikkor lenses. Which makes working together not only fun, but seamless in terms of mixing equipment and editing files.

The Citadel Foundation Scholarship Donor Dinner

Last night I had the pleasure of photographing The Citadel Foundation’s annual Scholarship Donor Dinner at The Gaillard Center. It’s been my honor to photograph this event for several years now. And it’s one evening I always look forward to!

The Citadel Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, was established with the primary purpose of providing financial assistance and support exclusively for The Citadel. Founded in 1961 as The Citadel Development Foundation, the organization was initially tasked with raising money exclusively for educational purposes through the academic endowment fund. Donations to The Citadel Foundation, as it is known today, go to a variety of programs including academic scholarships, faculty support, athletic facilities, individual academic schools, program funds, and vital expenses not covered by tuition or fees. The vision of this program is to build a preeminent foundation at The Citadel for tomorrow’s principled leaders.

Many thanks to Riviere, who does an AMAZING job of organizing this incredible event!!!

National Ethanol Conference in Nashville – Day 3

What an honor it was for me to be invited back to photograph another National Ethanol Conference!!! This year’s NEC was held in Nashville, TN. As a destination event photographer, it’s always fun to explore new cities!

Day 3 was a half-day. But it had no breaks in the schedule. From the networking breakfast right through to the final presentation in the Grand Hall, it was a very full day! After wrapping up the final panel discussion, I backed up all the remaining images, packed up my gear, and headed to the airport. Once I was safely at my gate, I had time to edit the final batch of images and get them safely uploaded to the cloud. It was a long but rewarding three days of shooting!

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has built this annual event into the premier ethanol conference to attend for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. The RFA is the leading national trade association for America’s ethanol industry, driving growth in sustainable renewable fuels and bioproducts for a better future.

National Ethanol Conference in Nashville – Day 2

What an honor it was for me to be invited back to photograph another National Ethanol Conference!!! This year’s NEC was held in Nashville, TN. As a destination event photographer, it’s always fun to explore new cities!

Day 2 was jam packed with keynote presentations, panel discussions, scholarship winners, and networking! It was a long 12-hour day of non-stop shooting, injesting, culling, editing, and uploading images. My Nikon Z9 cameras just kept on ticking…and I did my best to keep up. Eventually, we wound the day down with live music, delicious food, and fun fellowship at the Nash Bash Reception!

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has built this annual event into the premier ethanol conference to attend for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. The RFA is the leading national trade association for America’s ethanol industry, driving growth in sustainable renewable fuels and bioproducts for a better future.

National Ethanol Conference in Nashville – Day 1

What an honor it was for me to be invited back to photograph another National Ethanol Conference!!! This year’s NEC was held in Nashville, TN.  As a destination event photographer, it’s always fun to explore new cities!

Day 1 was all about the covering the various receptions. First I had a sponsor’s reception with live music at the famous Ole Red on Broadway. Then it was on to the Women’s Leadership Reception at the beautiful (and supposedly haunted) Union Station. The reception for the PAC Auction in the Grand Hyatt had some great fundraising action. And finally, the main Welcome Reception was also held at the Grand Hyatt, with three talented violinists filling the hall with beautiful music.

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is the most widely attended executive-level conference for the ethanol industry. Past events have welcomed industry leaders from across the United States and 20 countries. Since 1996, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has built this annual event into the premier ethanol conference to attend for the latest, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry. The RFA is the leading national trade association for America’s ethanol industry, driving growth in sustainable renewable fuels and bioproducts for a better future.

USGC International Marketing Conference in Austin – Day 3

It was such a pleasure to be back again this year, photographing the US Grains Council’s annual International Marketing Conference! This year’s event took place in Austin, TX.

Day 3 was was brimming with excitement and energy. President and CEO, Ryan LeGrand, had a big announcement about the future of the USGC. Major awards were handed out in recognition of service to the council. A-Team and Sector leaders presented their recommendations to the board. Other speakers and panels rounded out the day. The meeting concluded with high hopes for a bright future ahead!

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.

USGC International Marketing Conference in Austin – Day 2

It was such a pleasure to be back again this year, photographing the US Grains Council’s annual International Marketing Conference!  This year’s event was held in Austin, TX.

Day 2 was a long 12-hour day of constantly shooting, editing, and uploading. I bounced around from Sector Meetings to Advisory Team Meetings, and from Headshots to networking shots.  Plus since all the international staff members were all here, we did a big group shot! Every few hours I would run to my workstation, download a batch of photos, cull, edit, and export a few selects to upload for the team to use in newsletters and social media posts. The day ended in grand fashion with an off-site event at the famous Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden on historic Rainey Street!

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.

USGC International Marketing Conference in Austin – Day 1

It was such a pleasure to be back again this year, photographing the US Grains Council’s annual International Marketing Conference!  This year’s event was held in Austin, TX.

After several “working” breakfast meetings, the conference kicked off with keynote presentations during the general session. The afternoon was filled with Advisory Team meetings. A warm Welcome Reception wrapped up the first day.

The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.