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The appointed members are: Al Wulfekuhle, Quasqueton, Iowa; Dr. Gordon Spronk, Edgerton, Minnesota; Morgan Wonderly, Arroyo Grande, California; Santiago Vazquez, Wilmington, North Carolina; Stewart Leeth, Richmond, Virginia.
Al Wulfekuhle resides in Quasqueton, Iowa, where he owns G&W Pork, a farrow-finish operation marketing approximately 50,000 pigs per year to Tyson Foods. Al also farms 835 acres of corn and soybeans with one of his employee partners. He is the current NPB treasurer. He is also a past president of Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). Al has business experience in contract managing sow farms, providing pork industry consulting and operating a pig production records bureau. He has a passion for improving pig production and health, along with assisting others to be successful in the pig industry. He has served on numerous IPPA, NPB and Iowa State University research projects, advisory boards, committees and task forces. He is currently associated with US SHIP, the industry African swine fever strategy working group, AgView development and the Pork Industry Visioning task force.
Dr. Gordon Spronk is a partner in a multi-generational diversified farrow-to-finish and cropping farm, Spronk Brothers III, based in Edgerton, Minnesota. Spronk Brothers III markets over 275,000 pigs per year. The family farm also has more than 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans. Gordon is active in the pork industry, serving on several National Pork Board (NPB) and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) committees and task forces, including chairing the NPB International Market Development Sustainability Task Force. A few past examples include the Animal Health Committee, African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force and the ASF Working Group. He most recently served on NPPC’s Board of Directors and has advocated for continued development and support of the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan
In addition to overseeing the university swine farm at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Morgan Wonderly offers students hands-on experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. She teaches courses in swine management, reproduction, and livestock/dairy judging. Morgan is a state trainer for the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program in California, where she bridges the education gap from the Cal Poly classroom into real world production. She pursues volunteer opportunities such as serving on the board of the California Pork Producers Association along with the National Swine Registry’s Youth Advisory Committee. Morgan is also a recent graduate of the 2022 Pork Leadership Institute.
Santiago Vazquez is a manager for Southern Cross Farms Inc. of Rose Hill, North Carolina. He has ownership of two 3,600-head sow farms and an 18,000 wean-to-finish site. He also owns and operates three chicken broiler farms, one layer farm and has a 200-head cow/calf herd, along with farming 500 acres of pasture. In the industry, Santiago has been involved with North Carolina Pork Council and is a past Pork Leadership Institute member.
Residing in Richmond, Virginia, Stewart Leeth is chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods. Stewart has served in board leadership roles in several organizations, including Virginia Agribusiness Council, Animal Agriculture Alliance, Virginia Forever, North Carolina Forever and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. He is on the board of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, served on a variety of committees for the North Carolina Pork Council and represents Smithfield in a number of sustainability-focused organizations such as the World 50. He was previously a partner in a law firm, representing agribusiness clients, and has served as assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The National Pork Board
A 15-member Board of Directors oversees NPB and Pork Checkoff funds. Each year, Pork Act Delegates, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, have the responsibility to elect members to the Board, set the Pork Checkoff assessment rate, and establish the return-to-state rate which provides funding to the designated State Pork Associations.
April 14, 2023 - National Pork Board
