Farmer-owners at CHS, one of the USA’s leading co-operatives, have elected new members to its 17-strong board.
The vote took place at the co-op’s annual two-day conference, held in Minneapolis on 7-8 December. The meeting also featured regional caucuses; board, financial and management reports; and company governance with an open question-and-answer session.
And the CHS New Leaders Forum brought together 110 young producers, nominated by co-operative partners in 11 states.
In the board vote, members elected farmers from Illinois and Minnesota, and re-elected five other farmers to serve three-year terms as directors. The owners also elected a Washington farmer to serve a one-year term.
CHS directors must be full-time farmers or ranchers to be eligible to serve on the board of CHS, a farmer-owned co-operative and global energy, grains and foods company.
Newly elected director Scott Cordes, of Wanamingo, Minnesota, succeeds Curt Eischens of Minneota, Minnesota, who had served on the board since 1990. With his brother and nephew, Mr Cordes operates a 1,000-acre corn and soybean farm. He received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota and previously served as the president of CHS Hedging.
Related: CHS tops list list of US co-operatives by revenue
Newly elected director Tracy Jones of Kirkland, Illinois, succeeds Greg Kruger of Eleva, Wisconsin, who had served on the board since 2008. Mr Jones, who operates a corn, soybean and wheat farm, and also finishes 1,400 head of feedlot cattle annually, has been chairman of the CHS Elburn board of directors since 2011.
Newly elected director Russ Kehl of Quincy, Washington, fills the final year of a three-year term previously held by David Bielenberg, who resigned in June 2017. Mr Kehl raises potatoes, dry beans and other crops on a 12,000-acre farm. A director for CHS Connell Grain since 2004, he also operates a dry bean processing facility and cow-calf operation.
Re-elected were C.J. Blew, Castleton, Kansas; Jon Erickson, Minot, North Dakota; Edward Malesich, Dillon, Montana; Perry Meyer, New Ulm, Minnesota, and Dan Schurr, LeClaire, Iowa.
Following the annual meeting, the CHS Board re-elected Mr Schurr to a one-year term as chairman. Other directors selected as officers for 2018 were: C.J. Blew, first vice chairman; David Johnsrud, Starbuck, Minn., secretary-treasurer; Jon Erickson, second vice chairman; Steve Riegel, Ford, Kan., assistant secretary-treasurer.
