Mark Black     Brennan Costello     Jimmy Dillon

Mark Black:

Best-selling author of the acclaimed self-help book, “Live Life from the Heart: 52 Weeks to a Life of Passion and Purpose”, Mark Black is a Heart and Double-Lung Transplant Recipient, 4-Time Marathon Runner, and much sought after speaker, trainer and success-coach.

Mark learned about success in life by facing death. Born with a congenital heart defect, Mark battled heart disease for twenty-three years before he faced the biggest obstacle of his life. In May 2001, at twenty-three years old, Mark saw his doctor and was given news no one wants to hear, his heart was failing fast. He had less than 2 years to live.

After waiting on the transplant list for 10 months and near death, Mark received a life-saving heart and double-lung transplant. Since that day, Mark has beaten all the odds and uses his new gift of life to inspire people to “live life with passion and purpose”. Mark’s presentations have inspired more than 65,000 people across North America and his best-selling book has impacted the lives of countless others. For more information about Mark go to: www.MarkBlackSpeaks.com

Brennan Costello:

“My career goal is to work in agricultural sales or communications to utilize my strengths in customer relations, industry knowledge and operations.”

When Nebraska student Brennan Costello was 14, he and his family went to Florida for a family vacation. He’d
never before seen the ocean.
“I remember being amazed at how far it stretched and how big it was,” he said. “I specifically remember feeling
the desire to sail out and explore all the potential that the ocean offered.”
When elected as a National FFA officer, Costello was introduced to an ocean of a different sort – one just as vast,
wide and deep as the one he saw as a teenager. This time, however, he’ll have the means to explore, discover and
share.

“My purpose as a national officer will be to engage the potential of FFA members,” Costello said. “I want to do
more than simply help. Students have the potential. They need to be actively involved in maximizing their potential
through classroom learning, experiences and leadership development.”

He is a member of the Gothenburg High School FFA chapter in Gothenburg, Neb., which is led by advisor Dan
Scherer. In high school, he held FFA titles of state president, chapter vice president and chapter secretary. He also
earned more than 15 FFA awards and distinctions at the state, district and chapter levels. He was valedictorian of his
graduating class and a member of both the National Honor Society and Sigma Phi Beta Academic Honor Society.
Costello is currently attending the University of Nebraska – Lincoln where he plans to major in agribusiness. He is the son of Steve and Becky Costello.

Jimmy Dillon: