Our Board

President

Roger Tormoehlen

Roger Tormoehlen is a Professor in the Youth Development and Agricultural Education Department with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Dr. Tormoehlen received his B.S. and M.S in Agricultural Education from Purdue University and his Ph.D in Agricultural Health and Safety from Purdue University. Dr. Tormoehlen provides leadership to the engineering-related projects in the Indiana 4-H program. Specific subject matter areas include: aerospace, bicycle, computers, electricity and electronics, lawn and garden tractors and equipment, agricultural tractors and equipment and woodworking. In addition to the engineering areas, Dr. Tormoehlen provides guidance to the 4-H Perfect Fit program, an effort to involve youth with a disability.

Dr. Tormoehlen’s current research interest is in the use of computer-aided instruction/multimedia programs as an educational tool in non-formal educational settings such as 4-H. Several multimedia programs, including ones on tractor and equipment safety ATV safety, electrical wiring and disaster education have been developed.

Dr. Tormoehlen received the National Safety Council’s Award of Honor in 1991, the Professional Skills Award from the Agricultural Communicators in Education in 1992, six Blue Ribbon Awards from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (1983, 1993, 1995,1996, 1997, and 1998), First Place in the National Safety Council’s Safety Research Project in 1993, and the National Safety Council’s Distinguished Service to Safety Award in 2002.

Vice President

Dwight Snethen

Dwight Snethen has been a professional in the information technology field for over 20 years and is currently the Director of Business Systems Support at Purdue University. Dwight is a father of 2 and has been married for over 25 years. He is originally from the Otterbein area, but has called Fowler his home since 2009.

Dwight has felt the volunteer bug for many years serving as the school board president at Sacred Heart Elementary for 6 years, 2 years as the secretary for the Prairie Crossing PTO and 7 years coaching and participating on the board for the Benton County Soccer Association.

“I am proud to serve on the Prairie Preservation Guild bringing quality entertainment and services to our community. The theater is a bright star in the center of a great farming community and I am glad that I can help keep the theatre thriving for our great little community. We just need to keep people coming back so we can keep giving back.”

Executive Director

Jill Byrd

Jill Byrd is the executive director of the Fowler Theatre. (She’s the lady in the office. She also has the most theatre ghost encounters.) Originally from Peoria, Illinois, she moved to Fowler seven years ago with her family. Jill has been married to her husband for 13 years and has two sons. She has served on the Oxford Community Baseball/Softball board and volunteers at BC sporting events. Jill has extensive past experience in management and started at the theatre in 2011. After working her way up–from ordering concessions to becoming a board member to her position now–she is the only paid member of the theatre thanks to a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission & Tippecanoe Arts Federation.

Jill loves being a part of the the PPG, the theatre, and its place in Fowler history. She is looking forward to seeing what the future brings to the theatre.

Secretary

Cara Ringle

Cara Ringle is very proud to be the secretary and grant writer for the Prairie Preservation Guild. She received a B.A. in Creative Writing with a double minor in Literature and Sociology from Ball State University and went on to receive a Masters in Library Science from IUPUI. Upon completing school, she moved back to her hometown of Fowler and became the head children’s librarian at the Benton County Public Library, which just so happens to be right down the road from theatre. Fast forward a few years and she is now the (somewhat reluctant, in-way-over-her-head) director of the library. If you need her, she might be found running a register at theatre concessions, finger painting with toddlers at story time, or being a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Treasurer

Erin Feemster

Erin Feemster is the treasurer for the Prairie Preservation Guild. She grew up in Benton County and graduated from Benton Central High School in 2001. Erin then went on to get her B.A. in History from Ball State University. Upon finishing school, she moved back to Benton County and currently resides in Oxford. Erin is the ITM Supervisor at Purdue Federal Credit Union and has been with the company for over 10 years. In her free time, you can find Erin at the theatre manning the ticket booth, spending time with her family and 3 cats, or at Disney World.