Published: November 09, 2007 07:33 am         

Two appointed to FAPC panel

A cotton industry leader and a barbecue guru have been appointed to the Industry Advisory Committee of the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center at Oklahoma State University.

The speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives appointed Jay Cowart, director of warehouse operations for Plains Cotton Cooperative Association in Altus, and Paul Schatte, general manager for Head Country Bar-B-Q in Ponca City to the committee.

J. Roy Escoubas, FAPC director, said he is pleased to have the two on the committee.

As director of warehouse operations, Cowart manages the cotton warehouse storage and shipping facilities of the Oklahoma Cotton Cooperative Association located in Altus, Frederick, Liberal, Kan.; and Memphis, Texas and the Rolling Plains Cooperative Association located in Sweetwater, Texas; Hamlin, Texas; Rule, Texas; and Flower Mound, Texas.

Cowart is responsible for the management of all labor, facilities, equipment and budgets and the forecasting and planning of cotton warehousing and shipping for customer orders.

Cowart attended Western Oklahoma State College and received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University.

As for Schatte, the Industry Advisory Committee is not his only tie to the FAPC. His son, Josh, has been a student worker at the FAPC for almost two years. Josh will graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in rangeland ecology and will work at Red Rock Ranch after graduation.

Schatte has worked as general manager of Head Country for almost nine years and is responsible for all manufacturing, marketing and sales operations for the plant. Under his leadership, sales have almost tripled to about $6 million.

Schatte graduated from Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Neb. While teaching at First Lutheran Elementary School in Ponca City, Schatte earned a master’s degree in education administration from OSU.

For information about the FAPC, call (405) 744-6071 or visit www.fapc.biz

     

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