Meet Sam Miller!

Published: Fri, 05/27/22

May 27, 2022

Meet recently elected WROF, Inc. Board Member, Sam Miller

You’ve met Sue Schultz and Dr. Aliesha Crowe. Now, meet Sam Miller! All three were recently elected to the WROF, Inc.’s Board of Directors.

As Managing Director of Agriculture Banking at BMO Harris Bank, Sam manages and leads production agriculture and agribusiness-related banking activities. Sam has over 38 years of agricultural banking experience, with the past 34 years at BMO Harris Bank. Throughout his banking career, Sam has shared his vast knowledge and passion for the agricultural industry in serving rural Wisconsin and making impactful differences in rural communities.

Sam grew up north of Madison, WI on a diversified livestock farm. His parents had dairy cattle until he was in elementary school and then raised Polled Hereford cattle and sheep. During his childhood, Sam was an active participant in 4-H and FFA. After graduating from Deforest High School, Sam attended UW-Madison where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics. Being in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison afforded Sam leadership and extra-curricular opportunities through membership in the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, the Saddle and Sirloin Club, and intramural sports. Time management was of the essence for Sam where he juggled classes and work along with time for clubs and fun. Sam says that coming from a large family, he needed to work throughout his college years and seek scholarships. Through college, Sam worked at a variety of jobs, including a supper club, Gaylord Catering services, Del Monte Canning, and an internship with Northrup King. After working in banking for several years, Sam attended UW-Oshkosh and received a master’s in business administration. After earning his MBA, he participated in the two-year WI Rural Leadership Program (WRLP) with Group VII, now known as Leadership Wisconsin.

Sam considers education a key to being able to be a participating member of society. “Bringing my skills along with the additional skills through various levels of education has helped me develop individually, in my career, in my family, and in the community, as a whole,” says Sam. Following his participation in WRLP, Sam became a founding board member of Classical School, a K-8 elementary school in the

Appleton School District. Classical School utilizes a Core Knowledge curriculum, including a study of history, literature, and language, as well as music, and the fine arts. Students are grouped by their abilities in math and reading and are provided with daily Spanish instruction starting in kindergarten.

Sam advises students who want to return to their rural roots that there are many opportunities for rewarding careers in rural areas, as well as great places to raise families. “In Wisconsin, we are fortunate to have many amenities in proximity to rural areas providing larger city opportunities for culture, sports, and commerce with a reasonable distance from rural areas,” says Sam. While rural Wisconsin currently faces issues in labor, housing, health care, education, and an aging

population, Sam feels that bringing back skills and an educated workforce to rural areas can improve the viability of these areas to support schools, health care, and businesses. Sam notes that the diversity of farm types, sizes, and agriculture is what makes Wisconsin unique. Farm businesses in Wisconsin come in all sizes and are all virtually operated by families. “While dairy is the largest single sector, grains, fruits, and other livestock all have strong market opportunities in the state,” says Sam.

Eager to give back to the agricultural industry and to the state of Wisconsin that has provided him with so much, Sam recently joined the WROF, Inc. Board of Directors to share his skills and knowledge. We are very fortunate and honored for Sam to be a part of WROF, Inc.’s mission of fostering vitality in rural Wisconsin. Sam has been a huge asset to the agricultural industry by also serving on the Wisconsin Dairy 2020 Council, the Wisconsin Bankers Advanced Agricultural Banking School, American Bankers Association-Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association, Dairy Business Innovation Center and the FaB Wisconsin Food and Beverage Leadership Council. Sam is also on the faculty of the National School for Beginning and Experienced Ag Bankers. For his leadership and outstanding dedication to providing credit and financial guidance to farmers, ranchers, and businesses in rural America, Sam was awarded the Bruning Award by the American Bankers Association for Rural and Agriculture Banking in September 2013. In October 2021, Sam was also recognized by the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association (WALSAA) as one of 40 honorees who have a common commitment to agriculture, life sciences, and paving the way for future generations.

Sam and his wife, Nadine, are generous supporters of the WROF, Inc. “My wife and I have been fortunate in our careers and have invested through contributions to organizations that have had a positive impact on us or in our community,” says Sam. “We have now added the WROF, Inc. to our giving list as the funds will go toward supporting someone who needs the funds like I did paying my way through school.”

Thank you, Sam, for being a vital part of the WROF, Inc. and rural Wisconsin.

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Bright Futures is published periodically on behalf of the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation, Inc. Please send comments to [email protected].