Oregon FFA CEO Phil Ward will retire July 1 after serving in that role for more than three years and leading the organization to record membership and fundraising.

In a statement to Oregon FFA’s board of directors, Ward expressed mixed emotions, saying that he loved the program and will miss it greatly.

“As I approach my 70th birthday, I have concluded that this next season of life needs to be focused on family and home,” Ward wrote. “It is a rare thing to get to return to your roots to finish your career, but that is the gift you all have given me.”

After graduating from Oregon State University, Ward started his career as an ag teacher and FFA advisor. He said that was his favorite job.

He taught for seven years, working in the Jefferson and Central school districts in Oregon, and was named Outstanding Young Agriculture Teacher for the state in 1983.

Early life, career

Ward grew up on his family’s farm south of Independence, Ore. His dad was an ag educator and Ward participated in FFA.

“It had a tremendous impact on who I became. … When you grow up with FFA, it gets in your blood,” Ward said in an interview.

The organization influenced both his career and values, instilling principles such as hard work and reliability.

“When you marry that up with the leadership training and the technical training you get in that program, there’s nothing better,” Ward said.

After teaching, Ward enjoyed a long career in public policy and government, working in the Oregon Department of Agriculture for 17 years, including as director from 1999 to 2003.

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He was director of the Oregon Department of Water Resources from 2004 to 2014 and was executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency from 2014 to 2017.

He also was executive vice president of the Oregon Farm Bureau and an adjunct faculty member in the College of Agriculture at his alma mater, working down the hall from the Oregon FFA office.

Oregon FFA’s strength

Oregon FFA now boasts more than 16,500 student members, a 55% increase since 2019. Ward said in a previous interview that number could hit about 17,000 during an official count at the end of the school year.

The organization also welcomed five new FFA chapters in 2024, bringing its total to about 120. Ward expects that to grow thanks to a renewed emphasis on career technical education in Oregon.

Oregon FFA consistently raises about $1 million each year through sponsorships, donations and grants.

“I am truly excited about what the future holds for Oregon FFA,” Ward said.

“The course has been set for a continued strong and productive organization that is training the next generation of agricultural industry and community leaders,” he added.

Next steps

Kirk Maag, Oregon FFA board chairman, said the organization will begin to recruit its next CEO.

“We’re looking for a dynamic, collaborative leader who will help us continue to grow and strengthen Oregon FFA,” Maag added, in a news release.

The job announcement is available at www.oregonffa.com/jobs/. Applicants are encouraged to submit materials by May 13.