Success must be measured in member value

I am new to MFA, but not new to cooperatives. Co-ops have been a force in my life since I began my career in agriculture, and my time working for them has given me perspective on farming across the Midwest—and a true allegiance to the member-owner model.

Among all the cooperatives I have interacted with, MFA is a special organization to me. Growing up in a small town in southwest Missouri, there were two places people dreamed of working and retiring from—Mid-America Dairy and MFA. So, it’s momentous for me to be serving MFA farmers and be part of this organization. And it’s a big deal to be “home.”

My tenure includes 20 years in the dairy cooperative world, where I worked across operations, built manufacturing facilities and reported directly to farmer boards. That experience shaped how I view the role of a cooperative—not just as a business, but as a business in partnership with its members.

I earned some context on that idea early in my career when I was tasked to lead a struggling facility that was losing a considerable sum of money each year. I had to report directly to the farmer-led board until we turned it around. Farmers know their business well and can ask probing questions. 

Prior to that experience, I thought I understood what a co-op was, but it wasn’t until I sat in front of those producers—the cooperative’s owners—and saw how our work impacted their bottom line that I fully processed the meaning of member ownership. From that moment on, I stopped measuring success in terms of plant efficiency or pounds moved to market. I began measuring success by the value returned to members.

That mindshift stayed with me, and I bring it to MFA. My Missouri roots, my passion for farming in the Midwest and my belief in the cooperative model are foundational to me, and I’m glad to join an organization that for so long has been committed to helping family farms succeed.

Still, nothing is static. Whether it is turnover in the board room and staff, technology, regulations or industry players, change is inevitable for farms, for cooperatives and for each of us in agriculture. The pace of change is clear. Across the industry, consolidations, efficiencies and more centralized distribution are influencing everyone’s next move. These changes aren’t always easy, but they are on the way and have been for a while. We must approach them proactively, rooted in purpose and in alignment with our core values. The goal is always to increase value for our members—today and in the future.

Farmer leadership is central to that mission. MFA wouldn’t be the organization it is without the engagement of its members. Our leaders put your interests at the heart of MFA’s operations. As we face change in the industry and generational transitions, I’m especially focused on connecting with the next wave of farmer leaders—those who are forming expertise and building lives on the farm. Their perspectives on innovation and value will help guide MFA to meet the challenges producers face. 

I’m honored to be at MFA, and I’m looking forward to working with our current member leadership and to building relationships with the next generation. Together, we’ll find new ways to deliver on MFA’s mission to our members. 

View more articles from this October/November 2025 Today's Farmer magazine.