Oregon State Grange has a new president.

Jay Sexton of Philomath was installed last month at the 149th Annual Oregon State Grange Convention in Talent, Ore., as the organization’s 30th president.

Previous to his election, Sexton served as vice president for four years.

Sexton’s Grange career started in 2010 when he and his wife, Toni Hoyman, joined the Marys River Grange.

His first position with the state Grange was as the Agriculture Committee Director, from 2014-2018. During that time, he helped the Grange’s efforts at the Oregon Ag Fest, the state fair, the FFA state convention, Oregon State University’s annual Small Farms Conference and at the state Capitol.

Since joining the Grange, Sexton has held several positions in his home community Grange, and is secretary of the Benton County Pomona Grange. He is also an affiliate member of Willamette Grange No. 52 outside Corvallis, where he is currently president.

In his time in Grange, Sexton has been active in increasing membership, repairing and restoring halls, and promoting a connection between local food producers and consumers through family-oriented Grange events.

He and his wife of 29 years, Toni Hoyman, live in Philomath, and have four sons who are all Grangers.

Sexton retired from Oregon State University in 2012 after 30 years as a field research technician in forest ecology, working primarily on investigations into decomposition and nutrient cycling in the world’s forests.

More than 160 community Granges across Oregon serve local needs by volunteering and making their halls the social center of the community.

The Oregon State Grange is a part of The National Grange, established in 1867 as a nonprofit fraternal.

The National Grange is the oldest agricultural and rural community service organization in the U.S.

For more information, visit the website at www.orgrange.org.