Complete Story
Passing of John Foltz
OABA is saddened to report the passing of John Foltz Sr., former executive director of the Ohio Grain, Feed and Fertilizer Association. A leader in the industry with a distinguished career, John will be missed.
John C. Foltz, was a native of Fairfield county and retired as deputy undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and agency administrator. A graduate of The Ohio State University, he also served in positions with the Ohio Department of Agriculture and as the first executive of the Ohio Agribusiness Association. Foltz also held several federally appointed positions in the agriculture field.
He was on the USDA Extension and Research Advisory board, council chair for the OARDC Advisory board and president of the Ohio Agricultural Council. He served as chair of the President's Alumni Advisory Board for OSU. For three terms he was on the High Council of the Fraternity of Alpha Zeta, then went on to become the first President of the National Alpha Zeta Foundation. He most recently served as an ex-officio member of the Farmhouse Foundation Board of Trustees.
He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service to Agriculture award from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of FAES and the Alpha Tau Zeta Alumni Association Distinguished Service award.
Foltz's agriculture commitment also extended to youth education. He held a number of volunteer leadership roles with the Boy Scouts of America, FFA and 4-H. Foltz and his wife Anne successfully led the $15.5 million campaign to construct the 4-H Center at The Ohio State University, the first "green" building on campus.
