IBA WELCOMES DAN LOOS!

IBA is pleased to announce the addition of a new team member to our Springfield-based staff. Dan Loos joined IBA on September 2 as the new Director of Business Operations.

Earlier this year the board approved the creation of this new director position to lead financial operations, business management and special projects on behalf of the Association and its affiliated entities, like the Foundation, Checkoff, Expo and junior programs. The new position reports to IBA’s Executive Vice President and serves as a backup to the executive on management and compliance for Association business.

Dan’s Background

Growing up in New Berlin, Illinois, just west of Springfield, and then attending Illinois State University, shows Dan is a central Illinois guy. “Go Pretzels,” he says, celebrating his high school mascot. Earning both an international business degree and marketing degree in college is just one of the things that makes Dan a perfect fit for the IBA team. One fun fact is Dan spent seven months in Germany during his junior year of college. Bavarian pretzels anyone?

Following his time in college, Dan started his career at an office supply company and was there for about four years in the accounting department and also did acquisitions, parts of his career history that made his resume stand out.

His next position was at Sinclair Broadcast Group, also located in Springfield, the home of WICS News Channel 20. There he was their business manager and also became Regional Business Manager over the Quincy and Kirksville stations.

During the early years of his career, he also received his master’s in business administration from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Outside of work, Dan enjoys going to his three-year-old son’s t-ball and soccer games with his wife of four years, Brooklyn. He’s a St. Louis Cardinals fan and his hobbies include hunting deer, waterfowl, turkey and gamebirds.

IBA, the Next Step

As Dan grew up, his dad, Dave Loos, who dedicated many years in government affairs and renewable fuels work at Illinois Corn, advised him of the quality of work that is available in the agriculture industry in Illinois. Dave did not just mean in the field, but working with, and for, Illinois farmers in varying capacities.

“When I first graduated college, I was a little naive to what that meant,” Dan says. “I did not know how I could become a part of the industry.” Yet, in the back of his mind throughout his career, he knew it could still be a rewarding industry to continue his career someday.

“This position fits my desire to work in agriculture, and my past professional experience fits it too,” he says. From now on, Dan has hopes to be in the agriculture industry longterm.

Dan’s Role at IBA

With knowledge of the greatness of the Illinois agriculture industry, Dan knows that greatness comes from the people. In this position, though much of it will be office-based work, he is excited to meet and work with the members of IBA.

Dan will help members with Checkoff remittance and refunds, plus help bring in-house stability to our financial books by streamlining processes. Overall, fiscal and compliance responsibilities will be Dan’s line of work at the office.

“I will be taking responsibilities off other team members plates so they can focus more on their own projects,” Dan adds.

If you have the chance to meet Dan in the next few months at upcoming BQA and Cattlemen Connect meetings or over the phone through a call at our office, make sure to give him a warm welcome. IBA is happy to have you, Dan!