WICHITA, Kan. – Kansas Grain and Feed Association’s (KGFA) board of directors, and membership at-large, selected Mark Paul of Cloud County Cooperative Elevator Association Inc., to serve as the historic trade association’s 89th chairman during its 127th annual meeting held April 10 – 11, 2023 in Wichita.
“It’s truly an honor and privilege to be selected by the Kansas Grain and Feed Association board of directors and membership to be the next chairman of this great association,” Paul said. “Kansas Grain and Feed Association is one of the most successful grain and feed associations across this country and I’m honored to continue to lead it to greater heights and accomplishments. KGFA’s continued success comes from the value it creates for its member-owners and I intend to ensure that with the amazing staff’s support, it continues to deliver results and flourish for its members.”
Native to the state, Paul started his career in western and southern Kansas working for cooperatives for more than 40 years. Paul also worked briefly for an independent grain and agronomy company and for a Kansas concrete grain storage organization. Paul is currently the General Manager for Cloud County Cooperative Elevator Association Inc., and President of Concordia Terminal LLC located in Concordia, Kan.
Along with its leadership elections, KGFA’s 127th annual meeting attracted nearly 200 of the association’s active capacity and associate members to learn from Stinson LLP partner and attorney Jarrod Kieffer on property tax valuations and how to effectively discuss grain marketing with producers from Ag Sales Professionals’ Greg Martinelli.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to each individual and organization who chose to attend our annual meeting this year and are thrilled to embark on the next two years under the leadership of Mark Paul,” KGFA President and CEO Ron Seeber said. “The main reason our association has survived to hold 127 annual meetings is the quality guidance starting at the top with our chairman and board of directors, all the way to the contributions from each individual member company.”
KGFA also bestowed its most prestigious honor, the Sunflower Award, to longtime association supporter, Dave Warrington. Warrington served on the Kansas Grain and Feed Association board of directors in the 1990s, with a term as the association’s chairman from 1992-93.
The association also completed its formal annual business consisting of a report on membership activities, board of director elections and financial status. KGFA membership re-elected Ted Behring (Farmers Coop Equity at Isabel), Doug Biswell (Jackson Farmers Inc.) and Mike Schmidt (Pride Ag Resources) to its board of directors, while Stan Remington of Frontier Ag Inc. joined the board as a new nominee.
Throughout the event, members enjoyed networking inside hospitality suites sponsored by: Ardent Mills; Cargill Inc.; ProValue Insurance; BarnesCo; Central States Fumigation; Drake, Inc.; Hammel Scale a Mettler Toledo Brand; McPherson Concrete Storage Systems; Norwood Contracting LLC; and Rolfes @ Boone. The event wrapped up with a golf outing to Reflection Ridge Golf Course where more than 100 golfers participated in a tournament.
