Ben Brancel
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin

Ben Brancel was appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) by Governor Scott Walker in January. Brancel previously served as the DATCP Secretary under Governor Tommy G. Thompson from 1997-2001.

Brancel is the fifth generation to be raised on his family's farm in Marquette County. Brancel attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where he received a degree in animal science. After managing his dairy operation for 22 years, Brancel now raises registered Angus beef cattle.

Brancel served in the Wisconsin Assembly for 11 years. He was tapped to serve as co-chair of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee in 1995 and was elected by his colleagues to serve as Assembly Speaker in 1997.
Brancel was appointed Wisconsin state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency in 2001. He most recently served as the state relations liaison for UW-Madison's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, where he helped support the Wisconsin Agricultural Research Stations.

As Secretary for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Brancel is interested in the opportunity for bioenergy production to help diversify Wisconsin's changing agricultural landscape and provide additional income streams for farmers and agribusiness while helping increase the state's ability to generate homegrown power, heat and fuel.

Joe Parisi
Dane County Executive, Wisconsin

Joe Parisi is the newly elected Dane County Executive, the chief elected official for Dane County. The County Executive is elected on a countywide basis and charged with leading and managing Dane County government.

Dane County has a population of over 490,000 and is the second largest county in Wisconsin by population and the third largest by geography; it has 60 different local governments including towns, villages, and cities. Its county seat is Madison and it is the home of both Wisconsin's state capitol as well as the world famous University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Joe believes in leading the Dane County Way — working with people to find solutions to the challenges ahead. As Dane County Executive, Joe's focus will be on prioritizing economic development and clean energy job creation, protecting the most vulnerable among us, and preserving our environment.

Joe has already served Dane County for 14 years, as a state representative from 2004 until early 2011, and as Dane County Clerk from 1996 until 2004. In the legislature, Joe was awarded the 2007-2008 Wisconsin Counties Association Outstanding Legislator Award.

Joe has been recognized for his initiatives to protect our environment. Joe has been a Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Conservation Champion, and has earned a 100% rating with the Sierra Club every session he served in the legislature.