Bret Rooney
Appointed: 2014 Serves to 2023
President
Bret grew up on a family farm just outside Satanta, KS and attended Butler Community College and Kansas State University on livestock judging scholarships. Upon graduating Kansas State University with a bachelors degree in Agronomy, Bret worked for Dupont Pioneer in Garden City, KS as a drought trait Research Associate for 4 years. He then returned home to his family’s farming operation. On that operation they grow corn, wheat, grain sorghum and soybeans. Bret also runs a small cowherd with his wife, sister and mother. Bret is also a partner in Flatland Pheasants LLC, where they showcase Southwest Kansas’ upland bird hunting opportunities with a full service hunting lodge. Bret has a wife, Carlie, and one daughter, Rylie. Bret has represented Haskell County since 2014.
Fred Jones
Appointed: 2017 Serves to 2023
Vice President
Fred Jones is the Water Resource System Manager for the City of Garden
City, Kansas. He directs the City’s Water and Waste Water Utilities. He serves on the board of the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District #3, the Upper Arkansas Regional Advisory Committee and KsAWWA Operator Training Committee.
Fred attended Fort Hays State University and holds a Certified Public
Management certificate from the KU Public Management Center. Before his tenure in Garden City, he served as the City Administrator in Lakin, KS
from 2006 to 2013.
Fred is married to Suzie, a surgical nurse, and have two sons Cormac and Conor
Garrett Love
Appointed: 2020 Serves to 2022
Garrett Love has represented Gray County since 2020 on the GMD3 board of directors.
Mike O’Brate
Appointed: 2004 Serves to 2022
Treasurer
Mike O’brate represented Gray County from 2004-2020 and Finney County beginning in 2020 on the GMD3 board of directors.
Ben Amerin
Appointed: 2021 Serves to 2024
Ben has represented Meade County since 2021 on the GMD3 board of directors.
David Casterline
Appointed: 2017 Serves to 2022
David is originally from Dodge City, but attended high school in Wamego, KS. He played football at McPherson College before attending Kansas State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness. He was an ag loan officer with a local bank for several years out of college. He now works in insurance. He worked on the family farm during high school and college, and also when he moved back to southwest Kansas after college. He farms with his wife, Jamie, in Ford County with a mix of irrigated and dry land. They have two children, Charlie and Ren.
Kent Dunn
Appointed: 1995 Serves to 2021
Kent Dunn has represented Seward County since 1995 on the GMD3 board of directors.
Zachary Gale
Appointed: 2015 Serves to 2023
Zachary was born and raised in Syracuse, Kansas. After High School, he attended The University of Kansas and received a BS in Finance. Upon Completion in 2009, he returned home and began working for Frontier Dairy. In 2013, he began leasing ground in the county and now manages 3 farms covering 7000 irrigated acres. He currently grows Corn, Sorghum, Triticale, Wheat, and Alfalfa. Zachary has represented Hamilton County since 2015.
Randy Hayzlett
Appointed: 2013 Serves to 2022
Randy is a farmer/rancher consisting of both irrigated and dry land. His irrigated land uses both groundwater and surface water from the Arkansas River.
Randy serves as a board member for the South Side Ditch Association and served many years as president of that company. He is currently the vice chairman of the Arkansas River Compact Administration and has been a commissioner for the State of Kansas on that administration for 20 years. Randy also serves as chairman of the Western Waters Conservation project funds committee and is a member of the Kansas Water Authority. He is a Surface water representative for Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management Dist. #3 and has been on the GMD3 board since 2013.
Matt Johnson
Appointed: 2021 Serves to 2024
Matt has represented Stevens County since 2021 on the GMD3 board of directors.
Harrison Krey
Appointed: 2021 Serves to 2024
Harrison has representing Morton County since 2021 on the GMD3 board of directors.
Chad McCormick
Appointed: 2021 Serves to 2024
Chad is the Industrial Representative for the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management Dist No. 3. He is the General Manager at Grant County Feeders in Ulysses, KS. Chad and his wife Mary Beth moved to Kansas in 2017 with their two children Corley and Clay. Chad is a graduate of the TCU Ranch Management Program and serves on its Board of Directors. He is a veteran of the US Army serving in Italy, Iraq, Louisiana, and North Carolina. Chad has been in the cattle business for over twenty years in Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, Wyoming, and now Kansas.
Seth Nelson
Appointed: 2011 Serves to 2023
Seth Nelson has represented Stanton County since 2011 on the GMD3 board of directors.
Hal Scheuerman
Appointed: 2010 Serves to 2022
Since receiving a BS in Agriculture at Kansas State University in 1973, Hal has been farming irrigated and dryland cropland north of Deerfield, Kansas. For several years, he served on the Kearny County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Kearny County Extension council, Upper Ark Regional Advisory Committee, member of the Associated Ditches of Western Kansas and is currently the President of Kearny County Farmers Irrigation Association known as the Amazon Ditch since 2001. Hal has also served 6 years as a commissioner on the Arkansas River Compact Administration. He is representing Kearny County on the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 3 since 2001.
Hall has a wife Collette and 2 daughters, Kelsey and Krista that support him in his endeavors.
Clay Scott
Appointed: 2002 Serves to 2023
Clay Scott has represented Grant County since 2002 on the GMD3 board of directors.
