Stockholders re-elect incumbents to board of directors

By Kerry Watson, Director of Communications

Nearly 750 members, guests and employees were in attendance at the 48th annual stockholders' meeting in Hutchinson on July 11. Re-elected by the membership to serve a three-year term on the board of directors were Cecil Wiebe, District 1; Jason Gaeddert, District 3; and Randy Ellwood, At Large. Wiebe will be serving his fourth term on the board and Gaeddert and Ellwood will be serving their third terms.

In addition to the elections, members of the board and management team reported on the cooperative's financial and operational performance for the past year. Board Chairman, CJ Blew, spoke of the strategic initiatives the directors and MKC has in place to insure the cooperative's relevance in the ag industry. Blew also spoke of the importance of being different or the first to perform or perfect things.

"It's not that MKC has re-invented the wheel," Blew said. "But I think we have re-invented what a co-op means in terms of value to a producer."

President and CEO, Dave Christiansen, spoke of the cooperative's vision. Christiansen also spoke of the momentum today's progressive producer is building and the strategic initiatives MKC has in place to keep pace with them.

Danny Posch, CFO, reviewed the co-op's financial performance, stating MKC ended the fiscal year with $14 million in overall net earnings. "Another profitable year for your organization," Posch stated.

Guest speaker, Paul Mobley, concluded the evening with a presentation of photographs of the American farmer and stories behind each photo.