March 22, 2021

 

US' Tennessee Farmers Cooperative appoints new CEO

 

 

Tennessee Farmers Cooperative (US) has appointed Shannon Huff to succeed Bart Krisle as CEO of the organisation, TFC chairman Mark Thompson announced.

 

Krisle has announced that he will retire on June 4 after a career spanning 38 years, including the last 14 as CEO. He joined the TFC staff in 1983 as a field auditor and has served in various capacities within the cooperative through the years.

 

In 1987, Krisle was named to TFC's Internal Auditing Department staff and in 1988, became manager of the Member Support Department. Krisle was named Region 2 operations specialist in 1992 and held that position until being selected to fill the role of chief operating officer in 1999.

 

"As CEO, Bart's steady and thoughtful leadership has been invaluable during a period of unprecedented growth and change for TFC," said Thompson. "His work in establishing Consolidated Financial Services and GreenPoint Ag strengthened the organisation and positioned the cooperative to make the key strategic alignments that have led to the creation of the Faithway Alliance and GreenPoint Ag joint ventures and the feed joint venture that is in the formation process. His work with the TFC senior staff and leadership team over the last year has provided the mission, vision, values and strategic plan that will guide our cooperative for the next few years and provide clear direction as we change the structure of TFC to a business service provider."

 

Huff has played a key role in developing and implementing this strategic plan as well, said Thompson.

 

"As we begin the cooperative's 76th year, he becomes only the seventh person to lead TFC as CEO," said Thompson. "His depth of experience and vision for the future are among the many qualities that make him the right person to take the helm of TFC during this critical transition period."

 

Huff had served as TFC's chief financial officer since 2006 before being appointed CEO.

 

"It is truly an honor to be chosen as chief executive officer," said Huff.  "The co-op has been part of my life since I was a child, and I have spent my career learning from and working with great people in a system with a noble cause, the farmer.

 

"I want to be very clear when I say that our focus has been, and will continue to be, on the member co-ops. My career has proven many things to me, not the least of which is that we are better when we work together."

 

Along with Krisle, Huff was instrumental in the development of CFS, which is now utilised by more than 90% of member cooperatives and is now TFC's largest patronage income department. He has more than 33 years of experience with TFC. He joined the cooperative in 1988 as a field auditor before transitioning to the role of corporate accountant in 1993, where he was responsible for the corporate Accounts Receivable Department.

 

In 1999, Huff became manager of field audit/regional accounting where he served until he was appointed as chief financial officer.

 

Huff is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville.

 

- Tennessee Farmers Cooperative