Jeremy Wilhelm, Chief Executive Officer
Doug Noonan, Vice Chairman, Frontier Board of Directors
Brian Bohling, Chief Financial Officer
Paul Searle, Vice President of Energy
Ryan Meister, Chief Innovation Officer
Dave Reese, Vice President of Agronomy
Mike Carroll, Vice President of People & Culture
Jon Brabec, Chief Marketing Officer
Jeremy Wilhelm
As we kick off the new crop year, I’m continually inspired by the preparation, teamwork and dedication it takes to get a crop in the ground, while maximizing its potential with the right crop protection and nutrients. Despite everything happening in the world, I’m grateful to live in the Midwest and work in agriculture, where our farm families work hard to provide food, fiber and fuel for the world. At Frontier, we’re committed to supporting your success in this endeavor and serving you – our owners.
We’re still facing familiar challenges, including increased costs for repairs, maintenance, interest and insurance. Looking ahead, we’re also monitoring how upcoming tariffs might impact our cooperative and our farmers in 2026. Even so, we remain confident in our mission. Last year brought an above-average corn harvest and, after a dry August, an average bean harvest. The mild fall and winter allowed for good fertilizer application, though, like last year, we’re hoping for timely rains this season.
Frontier continues to invest in our people and facilities, with ongoing construction at our Syracuse dry fertilizer plant and the Elk Creek grain facility, plus several smaller agronomy and energy projects across our region. The recent grain expansions at Prague and Mead have already proven valuable in increasing our grain capacity.
Our core values guide every decision at Frontier: Do The Right Thing, Make a Difference, Better Our Best, Create Opportunities, and Support the Frontier Family. I am reminded of this all the time when I hear the stories of our employees going Above and Beyond for our customers, providing what we like to call the “Frontier Experience.”
Thank you for your business and for being an owner of Frontier. Wishing you and your families a safe and successful spring.
Noonan, Vice Chairman
Doug Noonan brings a lifetime of hands-on experience and thoughtful leadership to his role on the Frontier Cooperative Board of Directors. A lifelong Nebraskan and a 1985 graduate of Humphrey St. Francis, Doug has always been deeply rooted in agriculture. After earning a degree from Southeast Community College–Milford in 1987, he returned home to work in the family machinery business and on the farm.
In 1996, Doug and his wife, Cheryl, launched Mid-Nebraska Tractor Co., dealing in used farm and construction equipment. They also manage corn and soybean operations — both their own and custom work — in Greeley and Platte counties. Today, the business is a true family affair, with Cheryl and their son, Marcus, actively involved in both farming and equipment sales. Doug and Cheryl are proud parents of Marcus and Britton, and even prouder grandparents to five grandchildren.
Doug’s commitment to the cooperative model began in 2006 when he was elected to the Husker Coop board and also served on the board of the Bank of Lindsay. His leadership was pivotal during the unification of Husker Cooperative and Frontier Cooperative in 2013, when he served as Husker’s board chair. With nearly equal size and minimal overlapping territory, the merger created a stronger, more strategically aligned cooperative to serve Nebraska farmers.
In 2019, Doug once again played a key role in expanding the cooperative’s footprint through a unification with Midwest Cooperative. He continues to serve as an executive board member and currently holds the position of Vice Chairman of Frontier Cooperative.
Doug values the diversity of voices and ideas on the board, and he appreciates the opportunity to work alongside fellow directors and cooperative managers. “Every meeting is a reminder of how much we can accomplish when we work together,” Doug says.
“We love spending time with our grandchildren, which includes many outdoor activities. We also love travelling. In the last decade, we have traveled to Australia multiple times.”
“A father said to his son: ‘Be careful where you walk.’ The son responded: ‘You be careful, I walk in your footsteps.’”
Q: Tell us a little bit about your experience and how that led you to your current position at Frontier.
A: I started working in agriculture after attending Nebraska Wesleyan and auditing area cooperatives. Building relationships over the years provided me with opportunities for success and advancement. The unification of Frontier a few years ago, along with the company’s mission statement and core values, aligned with my own to share the same strategy and vision.
Q: What do you find most rewarding about overseeing the financial health of the cooperative, and how does that impact our members and the larger agricultural community?
A: Working with the Frontier team of accountants is rewarding because we see our efforts directly impact the livelihoods and well-being of our farmer owners. Frontier’s stability allows area producers access to resources and market opportunities that ultimately contribute to the success of the agricultural community and the economic development of our local communities. We can make equitable impacts to all members, regardless of their size of operation, by distributing returns fairly and providing consistent opportunities to all members.
Q: In your experience, what’s the most important aspect of financial management that helps the cooperative run smoothly and ensures longterm sustainability for our farmers?
A: Frontier Cooperative has a strong balance sheet which provides opportunities for financial stability and flexibility showing that there’s value in the company for you as an owner. This allows our Board of Directors to have discussions that are forward-thinking and enables them to make decisions that will help us withstand economic fluctuations.
Q: Looking ahead, how do you see financial technology and data analytics shaping the future of agriculture, and how is the cooperative preparing to leverage these tools for better financial decision-making?
A: Technology continues to advance quickly, and quality data is important for sustainable results. Being a financially healthy cooperative allows Frontier to invest in infrastructure, technology and services that benefit all members – such as processing speed, storage and equipment with the latest technology. Working with a Frontier advisor will allow you to see the complete picture, from securing inputs to managing grain transactions, that allows your operation to be successful today and in the coming years.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your experience and how that led you to your current position at Frontier.
A: I have worked in the energy and fuels market for the last ten years. Over my career, I have been in both sales and operational roles, overseeing teams and projects and serving in various leadership roles.
Q: What are the most exciting developments or initiatives currently underway in the energy business that you believe will benefit our members in the coming year?
A: E-15 gasoline has been a great development for farmers in Nebraska. Selling E-15 is another way that Frontier Cooperative will support the Frontier family as we are looking to utilize and sell E-15 at several of our cardtrol locations. This will bring lower prices to the pump, while supporting our farmers.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with farmers to meet their energy needs, and what challenges do you find most rewarding?
A: Farming is more than a job, career, or hobby. It is a lifestyle. I respect the hard work and dedication that our farmers do to feed the world. I’m grateful I’m able to be a part of this by providing energy resources for the needs of the Frontier family.
The challenges I find most rewarding are when I am able to fix, repair, and rebuild items. I am a builder of things by nature: programs, teams, individuals, groups, etc. This often is a very challenging task, but it is very rewarding once they are successful. Seeing others believe and achieve their greatest potential is the best.
Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of energy solutions in agriculture, and how do you see the cooperative continuing to innovate in this space?
A: I believe the advancements in artificial intelligence will continue help make things more efficient in energy overall for our Frontier family. This includes increased solutions from an operational standpoint to ensure you have products when you need them. Frontier Cooperative continues to lead the way in investing in technology to help our farmer-owners.
Ryan Meister, Chief Innovation Officer
Since launching Frontier Connect over a year ago, we’ve been focused on delivering continuous improvements to better serve our customers. Our goal has been to make the portal more intuitive, informative, and accessible—empowering users with the tools and information they need, right when they need them. To support this mission, we’ve introduced a range of new features and system enhancements across all our business units on the platform, including:
Grain
• View cash bids
• View futures
• View and sign contracts
• Access scale tickets
• Create and view offers
• View settlements
• View grain balances
Agronomy
• Sign contracts
• Integrate with FieldView
• View bookings and prepays
• View secure financing details
• View and pay with CFA financing
Payments
• Pay on demand by ACH or credit card
• Set up autopay using ACH
• View payment history
• View statements and invoices
• View current balances
Communication
• View new offers from Frontier
• Receive messages about hours of operation
• Store files for easy access to documents from your Advisor
• Change statement delivery method to paperless
Energy
• Access contracts
• View deliveries
• View tanks
• Check near real-time propane tank levels (if on “keep full” route)
• Request deliveries (if not on “keep full” route)
Dave Reese, Vice President of Agronomy
No two springs are ever the same! I’ve heard that many times and this year was no exception.
The weather allowed growers to get in the fields earlier than normal as applicators battled the wind to get fields sprayed. When the wind held off for multiple days, our applicators “made hay” and covered an incredible number of acres in a short amount of time to get caught up. Thank you to our farmer-owners for your patience and cooperation as our dedicated team members fought the elements this season.
Planting conditions were very good overall and emergence in most fields looks positive – we are off to a great start this crop year. As we continue to progress into the summer months, we will keep an eye on fields for weed breaks and prepare for post applications.
With the weed pressures on the horizon, it becomes very important to incorporate a residual herbicide into your post application. This adds extra protection against flushes of multiple weed species later in the season to keep your fields clean all season long.
It is also important to keep in mind that we need to do whatever we can to mitigate plant stress for the rest of the growing season to maximize yields. We recommend many products like foliar nutrients, biologicals, and fungicides to ensure protection against yield-robbing stressors, giving plants a boost to maximize yields.
As always, your local Frontier Ag Advisor is there to support you throughout the growing season as you come across any crop health issues. They’ll help you determine the best path forward, ensuring your success this season and beyond.
Please be safe out there and have a great summer!
Mike Carroll, Vice President of People & Culture
The employment market continues to challenge many companies’ ability to recruit and retain talent. To continue to serve our patrons in the best way and live up to our core values of Make a Difference, Better our Best, and Support the Frontier Family, Frontier expanded our seasonal labor search beginning in the fall of 2023 through the H2A visa program.
While complex, the H2A visa program simply allows nonimmigrant visa holders to be hired by U.S. agricultural employers to perform temporary or seasonal agricultural work when there aren’t enough domestic workers available. The program ensures employers can meet labor needs during specific periods of the year when demand is high, such as during planting and harvest.
To become an eligible H2A employer, Frontier engaged in the lengthy application process to obtain a labor certification from the Department of
Labor. Once we received approval, we used an H2A recruiting firm to vet candidates, conduct interviews and make employment offers. Those selected then apply for an H2A visa at a U.S. embassy or their country’s consulate. Once their country issues their visa, within a matter of days, employees begin to arrive at Frontier for work.
In 2023, we hired eight employees from South Africa to work from August 1 to December 1. Based on the success we experienced, Frontier went through the application process in 2024 and 2025. This year, we have 22 workers from South Africa serving across our footprint. They arrived in March and will be with us until December 1, 2025.
The H2A program has helped Frontier resolve employment market shortages in specific areas of our footprint that have typically been difficult to recruit talent. Where we once had limited staff to serve our patrons, Frontier now has visa workers to fill the void to ensure our patrons are served effectively.
During the interview process, I heard countless times that some believed coming to America was only a distant dream. They make it very clear they are here to work hard in our grain elevators, agronomy plants, fields and grain
facilities to support their families back in their home country. Most of them hope to one day immigrate to America with their families.
Since the beginning of Frontier’s H2A program participation, a few of our employees have returned annually. They have become part of the Frontier Family and have made friends within the communities they live in. They enjoy the county fairs, demolition derbies, the “big box stores” and American food.
Without a doubt, our South African workers
are dedicated to Frontier and have adapted to our American culture. On the flip side, employees that work with our H2A employees gain a new perspective. Through these mutual interactions, everyone grows personally and professionally.
If you have an opportunity to meet any of our H2A employees in your community or at one of our locations, use the title of this article to greet them in Afrikaan, which translates to “Welcome to the Frontier Family”.
Jon Brabec, Chief Marketing Officer
At Frontier Cooperative, investing in the future of agriculture means investing in the young people who will shape it. That’s why we’re proud to offer an annual scholarship program to support students pursuing agricultural-related degrees at colleges and technical schools.
Each year, scholarships are awarded to students whose families are active stockholders and have done business with Frontier Cooperative over the past year. It’s our way of giving back to the communities we serve, and supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Applications are carefully reviewed by our Board of Directors, with consideration given to academic performance, leadership, and extracurricular involvement. Recipients receive up to $1,000 following the successful completion of their first semester of college.
This program is about more than just financial assistance; it’s about believing in the potential of our youth and strengthening the future of our industry. At Frontier Cooperative, we’re committed to supporting students who are passionate about agriculture and dedicated to making a difference. We’re honored to play a role in their journey and excited to see the impact they’ll have in the years ahead.
Cameron Woita
James & Jennifer Woita
Graham Nutzman
Bishop Neumann
Matt & Alissa Nutzman Wahoo
Seth Dean
Jeff & Sarah Dean Freeman
Nolan Wellensiek
Andy & Kim Wellensiek Johnson
Rachel Martensen
Jeff & Jennifer Martensen Humphrey
Landon Mimick
Jeff & Randi Mimick
Carson Heard
Travis & Tonia Heard
Kamber Lechtenberg
Chad & Karla Lechtenberg
Preston Scott
Clay & Summer Scott
Madison Bohling
Brian & Heather Bohling
Dakoda Schneider
James & Kristen Schneider
Hunter Bohling
North Bend
Howells Dodge
Bishop Neumann
North Bend
Lincoln Southwest
East Butler
Mike & Susan Bohling HTRS
Taryn Ottemann
Jeffery & Danelle Ottemann
Jackson Smaus
John & Laurie Smaus
Atley James Ray Johnson
Johnson-Brock
East Butler
Andew & Cheri Johnson Waverly
Rory Korte
Jon & Shely Korte Lakeview
Kayden Badertscher
Mark & Tami Badertscher
Abbigail Barry
Joshua & Erin Barry
Justin Bongers
Jerry & Sandy Bongers
Ty Moss
Kevin & Kaycee Moss
Paydon Rinkol
Aaran & Heather Rinkol
Logan Kershaw
Brian & Tania Kershaw
Keila Dubas
Eric & Megan Dubas
Chaney Moates
Bill & Melissa Moates
Johnson County Central
Millard North
East Butler
Sterling
Twin River
Twin River
Northeast Community College
University of South Dakota
Doane University
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Southeast Community College-Beatrice
Midland University
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Southeast Community College-Milford
Southeast Community College-Milford
Grand View University
Wayne State College
Southeast Community College-Milford
Northeast Community College
Southeast Community College-Beatrice
Undecided
Southeast Community College-Beatrice
Southeast Community College-Milford
Northeast Community College
Northeast Community College
Fullerton
Lincoln East
Northeast Community College
South Dakota State University
