In April 2019, Mike Builta, a GROWMARK vice president and long-time employee, passed away unexpectedly. To honor his memory, the GROWMARK Foundation will be providing 100 FFA jackets to FFA members in Illinois.

Twenty-five jackets will be provided each year over the next four years. Students submitted an essay explaining what an FFA jacket means to them and their goals as an FFA member.

The 2019 recipients are:

• Alexandra Austin              Streator FFA Chapter                      Streator, Illinois
• Arianna Bird                     River Ridge FFA Chapter                Hanover, Illinois
• Lucy Clark                        North Clay FFA Chapter                 Louisville, Illinois
• Alicia Cox                         Sandoval FFA Chapter                    Sandoval, Illinois
• Alaina Deal                       Morrisonville FFA Chapter            Morrisonville, Illinois
• Alyssa DeSplinter             Bureau Valley FFA Chapter           Manlius, Illinois
• Miriem Foster                   Fairfield FFA Chapter                      Fairfield, Illinois
• Tessa Funderburk            Morrisonville FFA Chapter            Morrisonville, Illinois
• Austin Hockenberry         Ridgeview FFA Chapter                  Colfax, Illinois
• Jolie Johnson                   Newark FFA Chapter                       Newark, Illinois
• Jordan Johnson               Pearl City FFA Chapter                   Pearl City, Illinois
• Breanna Lachance          Grundy Area FFA Chapter             Coal City, Illinois
• Travis Leggett                  Newark FFA Chapter                       Newark, Illinois
• Jaiden Mahler                  Serena FFA Chapter                        Serena, Illinois
• Katelyn Martin                  Meridian-Macon FFA Chapter     Macon, Illinois
• Peter Metivier                  Normal FFA Chapter                       Normal, Illinois
• Baylee Newman              Grundy Area FFA Chapter             Coal City, Illinois
• Maddison Oliver              Fairfield FFA Chapter                      Fairfield, Illinois
• Amelia Rodriguez            Normal FFA Chapter                       Normal, Illinois
• Abigayle Sichling             Shawnee FFA Chapter                    Wolf Lake, Illinois
• Aiden Soliday                   Blue Ridge FFA Chapter                 Farmer City, Illinois
• Jhia Walker                       Morrisonville FFA Chapter            Morrisonville, Illinois
• Maria Ward                       Fairfield FFA Chapter                      Fairfield, Illinois
• Morgan Wegs                   Brown County FFA Chapter          Mt. Sterling, Illinois
• Lily Young                         Tri-Valley FFA Chapter                   Downs, Illinois

Builta was raised on a family farm near Bellflower, Illinois. He was an active FFA member and lifelong supporter of agricultural education. He held GROWMARK System management roles at Christian County Farmers Supply Company in Taylorville, Illinois and GRAINCO FS in Ottawa, Illinois, before becoming GROWMARK vice president of Energy and Logistics in 2018.

The GROWMARK Foundation was formally incorporated in 2005 and supports 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organizations. The Foundation is focused on programs and activities which support: the vitality of the industry of agriculture; agriculture education and consumer understanding of agriculture's contributions to society and the economy; agricultural leadership development; and education about the benefits of the cooperative way of doing business. The GROWMARK System has been involved in a variety of philanthropic efforts, including youth and young leader education and development and scholarships, for decades.