The U.S. Grains Council elected new officers and new members for its board of directors during its 56th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting this past week in Louisville, Kentucky.
Chip Councell, a 10th generation farmer from Talbot County, Maryland, was elected as the new chairman, taking the helm after many years of service in community and farm organization leadership positions both locally and nationally.
Other officers elected include Deb Keller, representing Iowa Corn Promotion Board, as vice chairman and Jim Stitzlein, representing Consolidated Grain and Barge Co., as secretary/treasurer. Alan Tiemann of the Nebraska Corn Board, was confirmed as past chairman.
At the Louisville meeting, the USGC Board of Delegates also elected other members of the Council’s 2016-2017 Board of Directors, including:
- Darren Armstrong, Corn Growers Association of North Carolina, Inc., at-large board member
- Ray Defenbaugh of Big River Resources LLC, agribusiness sector/ethanol and co-products director
- Craig Floss, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, checkoff sector director
- Greg Hibner of Hawkeye Gold, LLC, a J.D. Heiskell Company, agribusiness sector director
- Charles Ray Huddleston of Texas Grain Sorghum Association, sorghum sector director
- Jim Stuever, Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, at-large director
The full board line-up is online here.