FROM THE FIELD
Stockholders Re-elect Incumbents By Kerry Watson, Director of Communications
Nearly 750 members, guests and employees were in attendance at the 48th annual stockholders’ meeting in Hutchinson on July 11. Re-elected by the membership to serve a three-year term on the board of directors were Cecil Wiebe, District 1; Jason Gaeddert, District 3; and Randy Ellwood, At Large. Wiebe will be serving his fourth term on the board and Gaeddert and Ellwood will be serving their third terms. In addition to the elections, members of the board and management team reported the cooperative’s financial and operational performance for the past year. Board Chairman, CJ Blew, spoke of the strategic initiatives the directors and MKC staff has in place to insure the cooperative’s relevance in the ag industry. Blew also spoke of the importance of being different or the first to perform or perfect things.
“It’s not that MKC has re-invented the wheel,” Blew said. “But I think we have re-invented what a co-op means in terms of value to a producer.” President and CEO, Dave Christiansen, spoke of the cooperative’s vision. Christiansen also spoke of the momentum today’s progressive producer is building and the strategic initiatives MKC has in place to keep pace with them. Danny Posch, CFO, reviewed the coop’s financial performance, stating MKC ended the fiscal year with $14 million in overall net earnings. “Another profitable and successful year for your organization,” Posch stated. Guest speaker, Paul Mobley, concluded the evening with a presentation of photographs of the American farmer and stories behind each photo.
Nearly 750 members, guests and employees attend the 48th annual stockholders’ meeting.
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Dave Sell to Oversee Energy Division By Kerry Watson, Director of Communications
MKC welcomed Dave Sell as the Director of Energy Operations in late June. In his role he will oversee all sales, marketing, delivery and billing activities for MKC’s energy division. He previously served as the energy manager for Farm Service Company in Council Bluffs, IA. A native of Iowa, Dave grew up helping with the family’s corn, soybean and livestock operation. Dave Sell He continued his career in agriculture, starting as an agronomist in 1972 and moving on to own a farrow-to-finish hog operation from 1978 to 1990. In 1990 he began teaching at Iowa Western Community College, advancing to Associate Professor and Department Chair until 2008. After two months on the job, Dave commented his transition from Iowa to MKC has been a great experience. “The energy department has a great staff who truly cares about the customer,” Dave stated. “I look forward to working with our customers and expanding our products and services to meet their immediate and future needs.”