ARA Rising Stars
Invest in emerging leaders by nominating them for the ARA Rising Stars award program. This year's award program theme is Amplify Your Leadership.
About ARA Rising Stars
The ARA Rising Stars program, sponsored by Atticus, provides member organizations a way to reward top performers through unique professional development opportunities and industry networking.
Nomination Requirements
A limit of three individuals from the same company may be nominated
Nominee must be employed by an ARA member company in good standing
Nominee must have 10 years of experience or less in the ag sector
Nomination forms are due by COB on Friday, September 18
Why Participate?
- Hone leadership skills with the ARA NAVIGATOR 360° online assessment, completed by Rising Stars at no cost;
- Attend the ARA Conference & Expo at a reduced rate;
- Compete in the Fan Favorite Video Contest for a chance to win a trip to the Top Producer Summit from Feb. 15-17, 2027, in Nashville, Tennessee. Sponsored by Atticus, the winner’s event registration, lodging, and flight expenses will be covered.
- Earn industry-wide recognition in front of 600+ ag professionals at the ARA Conference main stage
- Display an award at your company's facility for customers & communities to appreciate;
- Harvest applicable takeaways from Conference sessions;
- Explore a first-class Expo with the latest innovations;
Expand your network among industry thought leaders at Conference receptions
Deepen your involvement with ARA, the association representing ag retail’s interests in Washington, D.C.
Important Program Details
Rising Stars must submit a video by September 30 to participate in the Fan Favorite Video Contest
Selected Rising Stars will be invited to an exclusive dinner with ARA Board members on Tuesday evening of the Conference, where awards will be presented; the dinner is designed to maximize networking between Rising Stars and Board members
The 2026 ARA Conference & Expo will be held December 1–3 in Austin, Texas
Rising Stars will be announced via an ARA press release prior to the Conference; companies are encouraged to issue their own announcements at that time
Accepted Rising Stars will be notified by early October
Fan Favorite Video Contest Submission Details
Each accepted Rising Star must submit a video related to the program theme in order to participate in the Fan Favorite Video Contest. Videos should be approximately one minute in length, with a two-minute maximum. Submissions are due by COB on Wednesday, September 30.
One Rising Star will be selected to win a grand prize trip to the Top Producer Summit from Feb. 15-17, 2027, in Nashville, Tennessee, with program sponsor Atticus.
Guiding questions for your video:
What company are you with, and what is your role?
How have you been empowered in your career?
How do you empower leadership in others, and what does that mean to you?
What are some examples of how you demonstrate leadership in your day-to-day work?
What would you say to encourage the next generation to pursue a career in agriculture?
This competition starts on October 10. Atticus has created a dedicated page featuring all of the Rising Stars videos, along with a poll where fans can vote for their favorite. To boost your chances of winning the Fan Favorite Video Contest, share the link to your video on your social media channels — and be sure to tag both ARA (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram), and Atticus LLC (Facebook, Instagram, and X) to help spread the word!
Voting ends on Friday, November 6 at 11:59 PM EST — one (1) vote allowed per email address. The Fan Favorite winner will be announced on Friday, November 13.
Please be aware of spam accounts claiming you won, as the winner will only be notified via this account and by email. This contest is not affiliated with Instagram.
