OFFICER AND DIRECTOR ELECTIONS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
We have the Eastern and Southern Regional Director seats up for election this year. The Regional Directors serve two-year terms, beginning and ending at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting. In 2024, the Northern and Western Region Director positions will be up for election for two-year terms.
Also, the Vice President/Secretary position is open for election. The person elected to this position each year is then in the officer rotation line, moving in succeeding years to President-Elect, then to President, then to Past President. The Past President each year serves as the Nominating Committee Chair. Kyle Walker is presently serving as Past President and Nominating Committee Chair.
Abby Majerus, from Lewiston, Montana, has agreed to stand for election at the Annual Meeting to the office of Vice President/Secretary. Abby is Director of the Food & Agriculture Development Center at Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, an economic development agency encompassing Central Montana.
Ethan Robertson, Auburn, Maine, has placed his name in nomination as Eastern Director. Ethan is employed at Farm Credit East, ACA, serving as a business consultant. Joanna Lidback is completing her term as Director and is not seeking re-election.
No one has yet been identified as a candidate for Southern Region Director. Presently serving as director, Keith Raynor of Dunn, North Carolina, has chosen to step down and not seek re-election.
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Per Article VII of the Society By-Laws and the Nomination/Election process:
Section A. – Nominations by the Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall make its report nominating candidates for each office to be filled at least forty-five (45) days before the date of the election, or at such other time as the board of directors may set, and the Secretary shall forward to each member, with the notice of meeting required by these By-Laws, a list of all candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee under this section.
Section B. – Nominations from the Floor
Any member present at a meeting to elect directors, in person or by proxy, may place names in nomination.
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Anyone interested in standing for election to any of the positions to be elected at the Annual Meeting on Tuesday, November 7, please contact Kyle Walker.
You will receive the report of the Nominating Committee, as described above in Section A of the By-Laws, on or before September 23 (the 45-day threshold) with the list of nominees for the positions.
At the Annual Meeting in Fresno, as the election process is undertaken, the floor will be opened for nominations. If no additional nominations are then forthcoming, the vote will be called, and the named nominees will be elected by acclimation.
We appreciate Abby and Ethan stepping up for these important positions. We need a director for the Southern Region. I have attached a map showing the Regions for the Society. If you are based in one of these states and are interested in serving, we will certainly appreciate it. The ongoing progress of the organization depends on active and energetic participation of all of its members, and definitely requires active participation on the board and committees.
Thanks also to Joanna and Keith for their valuable service on the board of directors.
We do not wish, nor do we intend, to discourage anyone interested in taking on a leadership role. Our Standing and Ad Hoc Committees (listed below) are in need of active participation by everyone. Please review the information on the website and consider how you may contribute to one that fits your interests and is compatible with your area(s) of expertise and experience. We are keenly desirous of, and in need of, having members who are not officers or directors taking leadership roles on the various committees.
On a final note, several of our newer members are interested in attaining the Certified Agricultural Consultant (CAC) designation. Bill Zweigbaum is leading this effort. Information on the requirements and the procedure for completing the certification process are available on the website. Bill’s contact information is available below in the Standing Committees list.
Officers 2022-2023 (*Open for election)
Pete Weisenberger – President
Keith Dickinson, CAC – President-Elect
*Dave Mielnicki – Vice President/Secretary
Russell Morgan, CAC – Chief Financial Officer
Directors (*Open for election)
Don Tyler – Northern Region 2022-2024
*Joanna Lidback, CAC – Eastern Region 2021-2023
*Keith Raynor, CAC – Southern Region 2021-2023
Ron Rabou – Western Region 2022-2024
Standing Committees:
Membership – Ron Rabou - raboufarms@gmail.com
Nominating – Kyle Walker - kyle.walker@peoplescompany.com
By-Laws – Dave Mielnicki - david.mielnicki@nmrk.com
Ethics and Grievance – Ethan Robertson - ethan.robertson@farmcrediteast.com
Continuing Education – Russell Morgan - education@agconsultants.org
Annual Meeting – Keith Dickinson - keith.dickinson@farmcrediteast.com
Finance – Keith Raynor - keith@trpsumner.com
Ad Hoc Committees
Marketing and Promotion – Paige Gilligan - collateralexec@gmail.com
Strategic Alliance – Norm Brown - norm@fbssystems.com
Remember...............
The Sky is NOT the Limit!
Pete Weisenberger
President
