Fargo, N.D. — The North Dakota State University Foundation welcomes five new Trustees who will help advance its mission to maximize advocacy and philanthropy in support of North Dakota State University. These volunteer leaders will help guide the Foundation’s Executive Governing Board and offer their unique experiences and perspectives to move NDSU forward.
Trustees are nominated by current Trustees, Foundation staff, or campus leaders. The NDSU Foundation Nominating and Governance Committee reviews all nominations and sends a slate of nominees to the full Trustee group to be voted on for approval.
Trustees are appointed to five-year terms, and there is no limit to the number of terms they can serve.
Meet the incoming slate of Trustees below:
Steve Bobb ’82 grew up on a family farm and ranch near Richardton, North Dakota, which inspired his passion for learning, production agriculture, and people development. His early experiences included working on his family’s Stark County cow/calf operation and participating in various activities such as 4-H, band, speech competitions, and high school journalism. Bobb graduated from NDSU in 1982 with degrees in Agronomy and Animal Sciences, and a minor in Agricultural Economics. While attending NDSU he also met his wife, Joanne. After graduation, he joined Farm Credit Banks in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later Burlington Northern Railroad, which became BNSF Railway. In 1999, he was named Group Vice President of Agricultural Products at BNSF, significantly increasing grain shipments from North Dakota. During Bobb’s career with BNSF he worked in primarily commercial roles but also had jobs in operations and technology services. Bobb’s final BNSF role was executive vice president and chief marketing officer, a position he held for over 12 years. He received the 2024 NDSU Harvest Bowl Agribusiness Award. Bobb retired in September 2024 after 36 years with BNSF, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and community impact. Steve and Joanne live in Roanoke, TX.
Leah Halverson ’01 is a fourth-generation North Dakota farmer and alumna of North Dakota State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and. After completing her MBA and gaining experience in the advertising industry, Leah returned to her roots to support her family’s enterprise, Black Gold Farms — a multi-generational potato farming operation founded by her great-grandfather in 1928. Recognizing the evolving needs of the agricultural sector, she established Ten Acre Marketing in 2019, a full-service advertising and marketing firm specializing in positioning brands to advance agriculture. Leah has been named in The Packers Packer 25 in 2022, Produce Business 40 under 40 in 2018, Prairie Business Magazine 40 under 40 in 2016. She was a member of the prestigious United Fresh Leadership Program in 20215. She has served for several years on the Potatoes USA executive committee, currently Chair of the International Fresh Produce Association’s Talent committee and sits on the Calvary Lutheran Church Council. Leah’s daughter, Sophie, will be attending NDSU in the fall of 2025 as a student athlete participating on the Track and Field team. Leah resides in Grand Forks, ND.
Brett Itterman ’06 is an NDSU graduate with a degree in Business Administration. He currently serves as CEO of Pentex Restaurant Group, which operates approximately 50 restaurants across eight states. Under his leadership, the company has grown to become the largest Taco John’s franchisee, employing over 1,350 individuals. A dedicated and accomplished business leader, Brett also serves as President of the Association of Taco John’s Franchisees. His contributions to the franchise industry have earned him several prestigious accolades, including the 2024 International Franchise Association “Franchisee of the Year” Award. He was also recognized as Taco John’s International Developer of the Year in both 2023 and 2024 and received the Taco John’s International Founder’s Cup in 2021. Beyond his professional achievements, Brett is actively involved in his community. He is a member of the Dakota Medical Foundation and co-chaired the 2019 Plains Art Museum Spring Gala. He resides in West Fargo with his wife, Katie, and their children, Fritz and Bea.
David Parish ’86 grew up in small farming communities in North and South Dakota and graduated from NDSU with a degree in Biological Science. Although he intended to wrestle, he became a NDSU Division I All-American Powerlifter. With little direction and no resources, David found a way to attend NDSU and achieve his degree, marking it one of the proudest moments in his life. After graduation, he became a potato industry expert, starting his career with PepsiCo and later founding Agricultural Industry Solutions (AIS), a company focused on solving complex problems in the potato industry. David remains deeply involved in North Dakota’s agricultural sector, currently working on the Agristo Potato Project in Grand Forks, partnering with NDSU on the Dakota Russet potato variety, and has a wide network of potential donors and supporters of NDSU. In his spare time, he and his daughter are climbing the seven summits like Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, and he established the Parish Future of Agriculture Scholarship to support students with grit and determination. David resides in Laramie, WY.
Brad Trom ’72 is an independent pharmacy consultant and strategic advisor with over 40 years of experience in the pharmacy industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from NDSU and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He has held executive leadership roles in specialty pharmacy, retail and healthcare system pharmacy operations, and pharmacy benefit management. Until late 2018, Brad was Vice President of Vanderbilt Health Rx Solutions and Executive Director of Retail and Specialty Pharmacy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Previously, he served as CEO of Lovelace Retail and Specialty Pharmacy, earning CEO of the Year at Ardent Health Services for his innovative programs. Brad’s career also includes leadership roles at Albertsons/Sav-on Pharmacy/Osco Drug. He is a proud member of three NDSU Football National Championship Teams, a Team Maker, a member of Dean Conners ‘Wisdom Keepers’ committee and current mentor for NDSU College of Business students. Brad and his wife, Sue Baechler, live in Brentwood, TN.
The NDSU Foundation Executive Governing Board (EGB) has elected officers for the coming year. Dave Goodin ’83 continues as board chair; Stacey Ackerman ’94 also continues as past board chair. Elections occurred for vice chair, and Keith Peltier ’75 was reelected. Kevin Wolf ’83 was also reelected as secretary. Dave Clouston ’90 was elected as treasurer. We extend our thanks to Mike Vipond ’82 who served as treasurer for three years. EGB also welcomed Doug Duncan ’80, ’82 as its newest member of the board, beginning his service on July 1, 2025.
We also want to acknowledge the EGB service of Neal Fisher ’73, ’76, ’22 whose term ended on June 30, 2025. Neal has been a valued and dedicated servant to EGB for the past six years, including service as vice chair from 2021-2022. Neal recently announced his retirement from the North Dakota Wheat Commission, having served as its administrator since 1998. He received an honorary doctorate from NDSU in 2022 and received our Heritage Award for alumni service in 2022. We extend our gratitude to Neal for his service and dedication to our mission during a time of growth and progress in advancing support to NDSU.
EGB, along with the Foundation Trustee Committee Chairs, held its summer retreat in Fargo, North Dakota, Aug. 7-8, 2025.