December 6, 2016

CHS elects directors; 2017 officer slate selected

The producer- and member-cooperative owners of CHS Inc. have elected a Wisconsin farmer to a three-year term on the company's board of directors and re-elected four other producers to new three-year terms as directors of the nation's leading farmers' cooperative and global energy, grains and foods company.

The elections took place during the 2016 CHS Annual Meeting held December 2 in Minneapolis, US. CHS directors must be full-time farmers or ranchers to be eligible for election to the 17-member board.

Newly elected director Mark Farrell of Cross Plains, Wisconsin, succeeds Robert Bass who retired after 22 years. Farrell has served as a director for what is now Premier Cooperative of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, since 1992, including four years as chairman. With his brother and son, he operates a 4,000-acre corn, wheat and soybean farm, along with a 6,000-head contract hog finishing operation. Farrell completed the short-course in agriculture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Re-elected to the CHS Board were Dennis Carlson, Alan Holm, Randy Knecht and Steve Riegel.

Following the annual meeting, the CHS Board elected David Bielenberg of Silverton, Oregon, to a fifth one-year term as chairman.

Other directors selected as officers for 2017 were Daniel Schurr as first vice chairman, David Johnsrud as secretary-treasurer, C.J. Blew as second vice chairman, and Don Anthony as assistant secretary-treasurer.

Delegates also approved amendments to the CHS Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. The amendments created a new membership class structure and criteria.