With Gratitude

Huge thanks and gratitude to Mark Juedeman for his three terms on the AERO Board (2016-2020), including stints as the Board Co-Chair and Treasurer. Mark brought decades of experience in renewable energy and community sustainability initiatives like Transition USA, as well as non-profit board leadership, to his tenure—all to AERO’s benefit. Thank you, Mark!

We are delighted to share that Mark continues to do good in the world, now as an MREA board member.

Janet Hess-Herbert, AERO Board member emeritus, 2012-2019:

Mark brought a little bit of everything, and a lot of somethings! to the time he was on the AERO Board. Well, almost everything… He really disliked making donor calls! I was always happy to pick up those for him because of everything else he did for AERO.

Mark came to AERO with a keen interest in broadening Montana’s renewable footprint, particularly at the community level, bringing first hand experience from the Houston area. His long-term and passionate support of AERO included an enormous amount of his time, his family ranch in Craig for board meetings and honestly, his generosity was there to keep our good work going through the highs and lows and everything in between. He believed in AERO and its mission, always. And on top of all that, his tenure of co-chairing the board with Robin Kelson was probably the most dynamic duo that AERO will ever see. I thank him for his time, his innovative thinking and no matter where he lands next, anyone that’s a part of that life will be a very lucky person. Thank you Mark for your years of service. 

 

Madison Boone, AERO Board Chair, 2020-2021:

As a new board member who served with Mark starting in 2019, I was struck by his kindness, humor, and desire to help others, and held that as an example not only of what it means to be an effective board member, but also how to live one’s life with compassion and joy. Throughout his time on the board, Mark demonstrated unfailing commitment, passion, and excitement for AERO, its people and programming, and the broader areas of renewable energy and food systems in Montana. We will miss Mark dearly, but are excited for what comes next for him and for all those who will have the immense honor to cross paths with him in the future. From all of us at AERO, we want to send immense thanks and gratitude to Mark for his board service and continued support for the organization!

 

Robin Kelson, AERO Board member emeritus, 2016-2019:

During our first year on the board together, I remember kind of cornering Mark as he clambered out of a pickup truck bed at Prairie Grass Ranch to walk the Manuels’ land while on the Lentil Underground Tour and asking if he could wrangle the renewable energy portion of the Expo agenda that year. “Sure!”, he replied with a big smile, and that was that. Not only did all the sessions and panel participants get planned and engaged, he gathered MT’s renewable energy brain trust in a special session with John Farrell the night before the Butte Expo opened, to chart a path for moving renewable energy forward on MT farms and ranches. That’s Mark in a nutshell.

Join Our Board

Are you looking for a unique leadership opportunity and are interested in putting your passion for sustainable community food systems into service for a great cause? We still have a vacancy on AERO’s Board of Directors! Since 1974, our volunteer board has supported manifesting AERO’s mission and vision, ensuring that in our work with communities across Montana, we deliver real results, respond to changes, and always strive for lasting, positive impacts. We welcome applicants from around the state.

View board member job description and apply HERE.