Economic Development Members Celebrate Burns Expansion

Representatives from the Marion County Economic Development and Burns Economic Council hosted a reception at MKC’s location in Burns this past Tuesday in appreciation and recognition of the company’s recent $3M grain expansion project.   Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman shared information about the economic impact that small businesses have made in the county through property taxes, personnel costs and expansion projects.   MKC currently has eight full time employees in the county and generates approximately $685,000 in personnel costs and paid more than $39K in property taxes last year in Marion County.

Visiting our Nation's Capitol

MKC Purchasing Director, Doug Wright (shown
third from left) and Ted Schultz, COO for Team
Marketing Alliance (far right), visited DC
 with other KARA and KGFA board members.

Board members from Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) and Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) recently spent time in Washington, DC visiting with industry leaders and Kansas legislators. Doug Wright, Purchasing Director for MKC and President of KARA, along with Ted Schultz, Chief Operating Officer for TMA and Vice Chairman of KGFA were among the delegation. 

The visit to the nation’s capitol is an annual trip that allows representatives of both organizations to discuss a number of subjects that impacts the agricultural industry. 

Mid Kansas Cooperative Association provides access to training and educational programs that assists their employees in their career development. Laurie Thiesen, Accounts Payable Manager for MKC, recently completed one such program and earned a Leadership Certificate from Wichita State University, Center for Management Development (CMD).

Laurie Thiesen is shown receiving
her Leadership Certificate from
Pat McLeod, Director for the
Center for Management Development.

According to Brett Myers, MKC's Director of Development and Training, CMD is just one of a number of vendors in which MKC is partnered.  "We are always looking or new and innovative ways in which to develop and train our team members," stated Myers.

Porter participates in first T.A.L. session

MKC Location Manager, Matt Porter,
(shown on right) is pictured with
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

MKC Location Manager, Matt Porter, and nine other members of the 2012 Tomorrow’s Agribusiness Leaders (T.A.L.) class traveled to Topeka for two days to complete their first session in late January. During which, the class enjoyed a detailed policy briefing from Governor Sam Brownback and a private breakfast with Attorney General Derek Schmidt. During these meetings they learned of many challenges facing the state, our top leaders’ plans to move Kansas forward, and what they hoped to accomplish this legislative session. They received staff briefings on the legislative process, the roles and history of KARA and KGFA. They also met with Associated Press Bureau Chief John Hanna on how to accurately communicate a message to the press and with Department of Agriculture Secretary Chris Wilson on the many functions the agency plays. T.A.L. members also received training on effective lobbying methods and put those practices to use during Legislative Action Day.  The next T.A.L. session is in July and entails traveling to Washington DC and meeting with our Congressman, industry leaders, and other officals.

The Tomorrow's Agribusiness Leaders Program - a jointly sponsored initiative of the Kansas Grain and Feed Associaton and the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association is an intensive leadership development program designed to teach members of the association about the state and federal legislative and regulatory process and how to be a better leader within the industry.

Porter is the tenth MKC employee to be selected to participate in this prestigious program since its inception in 1998.

Scholarship application deadline draws near

High school seniors are reminded that the deadline to sumbit an application for one of MKC's nine scholarships is March 15.   The scholarships, valued at $500 each, are available to high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2012 within MKC's territory.  Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, activities and an essay about the value of the cooperative system.

Seniors who plan to attend an accredited university or college including junior, community,vocational or technical schools are eligible to apply.  Applications are available at http://www.mkcoop.com/ and are aslo available through area high school counselor offices. 

Eck earns 10 year certification

Nathan Eck, MKC location manager for Groveland, was recently recognized for ten years of service as a board certified CCA (Certified Crop Advisor). The CCA certification program was established in 1992 to provide a benchmark for practicing agronomy professionals in the United States and Canada. Eck joined MKC in June, 2004 and managed the Marquette location.  He now oversees the grain and agronomy operations at Groveland.