Leadership matters for any organization, and stockholders are often called on for board elections. Recently, Northwest Farm Credit Services stockholders elected Bill Martin of Rufus, Oregon, as a new member to the cooperative’s board.

Martin has been a Farm Credit customer for more than 20 years and is owner and president of Martin Farms. The 10,000-acre dryland wheat operation has 700 irrigated acres and 150 certified organic acres. The operation raises alfalfa, bluegrass seed, tealeaf mint, garlic, seed wheat, hemp and other herbs. In addition, the farm includes a cow-calf operation. Martin is also director of Mid-Columbia Producers, a farmer-owned cooperative. His term is five years and ends in 2025.

2 reelected to board

Two existing board members have been reelected, each for another five-year term.

Susan Doverspike owns and operates a cattle ranch in the high desert near Burns, Oregon, along with her husband. She’s been a Farm Credit customer for 20 years and also serves on the board of directors of Harney District Hospital. Doverspike is a member of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Harney County Farm Bureau and the Oregon Cattlewomen Association.

Skip Gray, a Farm Credit Customer for 39 years, owns and operated a diversified business that produces vegetable and flower seeds, processed vegetables, peppermint and grass seed. Gray has served as treasurer for the Specialty Seed Growers of Western Oregon and is past chairman of the Farm Service Agency County Committee. He is also past president of the Association of Agricultural Professional Executives, and he is a participant in The Executive Program for Agriculture Producers.

Current board members

In addition to Doverspike, Gray and Martin, members of the Northwest FCS board include Christy Burmeister-Smith of Newman Lake, Wash.; Nels J. DeBruycker of Choteau, Mont.; Dave Hedlin of Mount Vernon, Wash.; John Helle of Dillon, Mont.; Greg Hirai of Wendell, Idaho; Dave Nisbet of Bay Center, Wash.; Nate Riggers of Nezperce, Idaho; Derek Schafer of Ritzville, Wash.; Karen Schott of Broadview, Mont.; Julie Shiflett of Spokane, Wash.; and Shawn Walters of Teton, Idaho.

Northwest FCS is a $13 billion financial cooperative providing financing and related services to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commercial fishermen, timber producers, rural homeowners and crop insurance customers in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. For more information, visit northwestfcs.com.

Source: Northwest Farm Credit Services, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.