Steve Drake

Establishing, building and growing many agricultural organizations throughout Ohio and the country, Steve Drake is well known for sharing encouragement, wisdom and lessons learned throughout his career. His vision and leadership had a profoundly significant impact on the industry through initiatives that impacted soybean farmers, Christmas tree growers and many more. Drake’s nonprofit efforts generated millions of dollars to support Monsanto’s 1993 flood relief program and more than 122,000 military families through the National Christmas Tree Association’s Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and Trees for Troops program.

Drake was also active in agricultural communications, collaborating with the US. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, Farm Bureau, Agricultural Relations Council and National Agri-Marketing Association as well as establishing the now annual Ag Media Summit through the American Agricultural Editors’ Association, Livestock Publications Council and the Agricultural Publishers Association. Seeing challenges as opportunities and potential in everyone he met, Drake’s forward-looking mindset and vision for the future made him a dedicated and innovative leader in the industry.