Sowing the SEEDS OF SUCCESS

Mark Cade’s Journey in Farming for a Sustainable Future

WESTBY, Wis. — Compeer Financial Board Director Mark Cade farms on rolling hills in Westby, Wis., just down the rural road from his childhood home. Growing up on a 75-head dairy farm, Cade developed a passion for farming and a lifelong commitment to agriculture.

“I’ve always been drawn to the genetics aspect of farming and helping with the dairy herds,” Cade said. “When I finished high school in 1980, I took out my own loan with Compeer (formerly Badgerland Financial) and started my own operation. My dad had always borrowed from Farm Credit, and I appreciated the long-term relationship and trust built with financial officers.”

When Cade and his wife Cheryl married, they moved to their current homestead and expanded their livestock to include 55 more cows. However, in 2014, they made the decision to sell the dairy portion of their operation.

“We had to decide whether to expand our dairy operation or move in a different direction with our children having other careers as well,” Cade explained. “We made the decision to start a cow-calf operation and shift to a cash grain operation.”

Today, Cade, along with his sons Travis and Austin, farms corn, soybean and alfalfa on 800 acres and manages a beef herd of 75. His daughter Tiffany operates her own organic tomato farm just three miles down the road.

With the intent of preserving the farm for future generations, Cade and his sons established a limited liability company. He hopes to see his sons carrying on the family farming tradition after he retires.

“That’s always been the goal: to keep it going for the next generation,” Cade said. “Hopefully, they’ll do the same for their kids.”

Contributing To The Community

Cade graduated from Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wis., with degrees in farm business management and finance. His passion for both farming and finances inspired him to seek a spot on Badgerland Financial’s Board of Directors in 2006.

“My previous financial officer encouraged me to submit my name and see what happens,” Cade recalled with a laugh.

Over the past 17 years, Cade has actively served on all of the cooperative’s committees, including his current role on the Finance and Audit committees. He has also held the positions of vice chair and chair. Cade brings a unique perspective of being a Board member through the merger process that created Compeer Financial.

“Tough decisions had to be made, and those decisions are what makes Compeer so great today,” he said. “Compeer wouldn’t be what we are today without directors in legacy associations putting the future needs of the organization ahead of themselves as we merged and downsized the boards.”

Cade said one of the most significant changes accompanying Compeer’s growth and scale has been the shift to a digital and on-farm model. He believes this shift has enhanced Compeer’s ability to better serve clients, who play a vital role in the organization’s success.

“Personally, I like doing things online because I can be more efficient,” he said. “Change is never easy, but we have to stay relevant for the future, while maintaining the personal relationships that are a hallmark of working with our cooperative.”

Anticipating The Future

Cade eagerly looks forward to expanding his operation further before he retires. From day one on the farm until now, he continues to derive satisfaction from knowing that his work makes a difference in the world.

“I like knowing that we’re feeding the country,” he said. “That’s one of the great things about this job. That, and there are so many other jobs tied to agriculture. It’s all about the bigger picture.”

Holiday Hours

Compeer Financial will be CLOSED for business in observance of these upcoming holidays:

Labor Day: September 4

Thanksgiving: November 23 and 24* Christmas: December 25

*For your convenience, our CONTACT CENTER will be open for calls Friday, November 24, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To reach the Contact Center, please call (844) 426-6733.

VOTE ONLINE IN COMPEER’S ELECTIONS

Member-owners who qualify to vote in Compeer Financial’s election for the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee will receive their ballots in early September. You have the option to either return a paper ballot or cast your vote electronically.

Participating in the election is an opportunity for you to express your voice and influence leadership of the cooperative. At Compeer, Board members play a crucial role in establishing business direction, evaluating cooperative operations and considering the needs of clients, the agriculture industry and the evolving marketplace.

A few important details to remember for the 2023 election:

• There are three director positions and 24 Nominating Committee positions open.

• Ballots must be submitted by Oct. 6.

To learn more about the 2023 candidates, visit compeer.com/elections

SHARE YOUR IDEAS IN COMPEER FINANCIAL’S ONLINE COMMUNITY!

The Compeer Collective is an opportunity for our clients to connect, interact and engage to share insights and have a voice in the cooperative. Through forums, surveys, polls and other conversations, you’ll be able to share your knowledge, provide input, make recommendations, seek advice and discuss relevant topics with other like-minded clients. And your participation will earn you points to redeem for gift cards! Interested in joining? Email jana.stangler@compeer.com.

Compeer Financial Recognized As A Top Workplace

Compeer Financial has received special recognition as a Top Workplace by the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune and the Wisconsin State Journal.

Team members are the cornerstone of our success, and we appreciate all that our team does on a daily basis to serve our clients in agriculture and rural America. Thank you to our 1,300 incredible team members who make Compeer Financial an exceptional place to work.

Sun Prairie Construction And Mailing Address

Compeer Financial’s Sun Prairie, Wis., office is undergoing renovations to expand and remodel our corporate headquarters. With construction expected to last through mid-2024, our Sun Prairie team has temporarily relocated to the Madison East Business Center, just three miles from our office. Despite these temporary changes, our mailing address remains unchanged. Please continue to address all mail to 2600 Jenny Wren Trail, P.O. Box 810, Sun Prairie, WI 53590.

Reminder: ROUTING NUMBER CHANGE

A reminder that Compeer Financial’s routing number has changed to 096016972. The old routing number will no longer work after Dec. 31, 2023. Please update the routing number on your checks and automated transactions. If your checks have a different routing number, order new ones. Call (844) 426-6733 or visit a Compeer office for assistance.

Reminders:

• Use the new routing number 096016972 when ordering checks from another source.

• If your account number starts with 853, 612 or 682, drop the first three digits when ordering checks.

• Review your automated clearing house (ACH) transactions and update them with the new routing number. Compeer Financial cannot make changes to third-party ACH transactions.

• Bills like cell phone, utilities and insurance payments must use the new routing number to be processed.

• Remember to use the new routing number for future transactions and check orders.

Learn more at compeer.com/RoutingNumber

Compeer Pledges Two Landmark Donations

Through its donor-advised fund, the Agriculture and Rural Initiative, Compeer Financial has committed $1 million each to The Hormel Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Our commitment to The Hormel Institute will establish the Farm to Wellness Research Fund to support research on the connections between agriculture, nutrition and disease prevention, with a focus on agricultural commodities in the Upper Midwest. Compeer invites other organizations to join them in supporting this endeavor. The commitment also establishes the Compeer Financial Research Lab at The Hormel Institute.

The $1 million pledge to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville will support the construction of the Dairy Pilot Plant and Training Center. The facility will provide opportunities for education, research and outreach in dairy processing, benefiting students, faculty, local farmers and the dairy industry as a whole. Compeer has been a long-time supporter of UW-Platteville, previously contributing to the creation of a student-run ice cream production business on campus.