Kent Fountain, a cotton ginner from Surrency, Ga., was re-elected National Cotton Council (NCC) chairman for 2021 during the organization’s virtual annual meeting. Ted Schneider, a Lake Providence, La., producer, was re-elected to the position of vice chairman for 2021.

Kent Fountain is a cotton ginner from Surrency, Ga. (National Cotton Council)

A member of the NCC’s 2001-2002 Cotton Leadership Class, Fountain served as a NCC vice president from 2016-2018 and as a NCC director in 2011. He has served on multiple NCC committees, including chairing its Quality Task Force, and served for 10 years as a director of Cotton Council International, the NCC’s export promotion arm.

Fountain has been very active in the National Cotton Ginners Association and has held numerous leadership positions including serving as its president in 2012. He is a past president of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association and currently serves as a director for Staplcotn and the Cotton Growers Warehouse Association.

Fountain, who earned an Agricultural Economics degree at the University of Georgia, is the president/CEO of Southeastern Gin and Peanut, Incorporated in Surrency. He and his wife, Missi, live in Screven, Ga., and have two sons.

Elected as a NCC vice president was Jay Cowart, an Altus, Okla., warehouser.

Re-elected as NCC vice presidents were: Jordan Lea, a Greenville, S.C., merchant; Robin Perkins, a Sanford, N.C., textile manufacturer; Kirk Gilkey, a Corcoran, Calif., ginner; and Kevin Brinkley, marketing cooperative executive; and Robert Lacy, Jr, cottonseed processor; both from Lubbock, Texas. Re-elected as secretary-treasurer is Barry Evans, a producer from Kress, Texas.

Re-elected as NCC staff officers were: Gary Adams, president and chief executive officer; Marjory Walker, vice president, Council Operations; Jody Campiche, vice president, Economics and Policy Analysis; Reece Langley, vice president, Washington Operations; John Gibson, vice president, Member Services; and Harrison Ashley, vice president, Ginner Services.

Newly elected NCC staff officers are: Don Parker, vice president, Technical Services; and Tas Smith, vice president, Producer Affairs.

NCC directors

The NCC represents the seven segments of the cotton industry. Directors of those segments serve on the NCC board and were elected this week as well.

Elected to the NCC board during segment caucuses were:
    Producers – Rusty Darby, Chester, S.C.; Jason Condrey, Lake Providence, La.; Doyle Schniers, San Angelo, Texas; Dan Thelander, Maricopa, Ariz.; and Mark McKean, Riverdale, California.
    Ginners – Drake Perrow, Cameron, S.C.; Curtis Stewart, Spade, Texas; George LaCour, Morganza, La.; Gene Seal, Pima, Ariz.; and Gary Feist, Anthony, Kansas.
    Warehousers – Donald Robinson, Garner, N.C.; Joe Tillman, Cordova, Tenn.; Eric Wanjura, Lubbock, Texas; Coalter Paxton, III, Wilson, N.C.; and Robert Swize, Corpus Christi, Texas.
    Merchants – Raymond Faus, Plano, Texas; Bobby Walton, Memphis, Tenn.; and Joe Nicosia, William Barksdale, and Jeff Johnson, all of Cordova, Tennessee.
    Cottonseed – Fred Serven, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Paul Scruggs, Overland Park, Kan.; Sammy Wright, Tifton, Ga.; Austin Rose, Altus, Okla.; and Jerrod Drinnon, Lubbock, Texas. 
    Cooperatives – Keith Lucas, Lubbock, Texas; Henry N. Reichle, Jr., Greenwood, Miss.; Paul Bush, Glendale, Ariz.; Wayne Boseman, Garner, N.C.; and Reid Nichols, Altus, Oklahoma.
    Manufacturers – Anderson Warlick and James Martin, both of Gastonia, N.C.; Mike Quinn, Sanford, N.C.; William Bowen, Jr., Inman, S.C.; and Marc Doyon, Stamford, Connecticut.

State Unit officers

Each state unit within the NCC also elects their own officers.

Chairmen, vice-chairmen and secretaries, respectively, of the state units are:  Alabama – Nick McMichen, producer, Centre; Ernest Osuna, ginner, Hazel Green; and Jeff Thompson, cooperative, Prattville; Arizona – Dan Thelander, producer, Maricopa; Bill Brackett, ginner, and K.C. Gingg, producer, both of Buckeye; Arkansas – Nathan Reed, producer, Marianna; Neill Sloan, warehouser, Portland; and Matt Hyneman, producer, Jonesboro; California – Bryan Bone, producer, and Joseph Cain, warehouser, both of Bakersfield; Charles Meyer, III, producer, Stratford; Florida - B.E. “Sonny” Davis, Jr., ginner, Cottondale; Nick Marshall, producer, Baker; and Buster Kimble, ginner, Marianna; Georgia – Chad Mathis, producer, Arlington; Jimmy Webb, cooperative, Leary; and Duane Bargeron, ginner, Sylvania; Kansas –Thomas Lahey, producer, Moscow; Stuart Briggeman, producer, Pratt; and Gary Feist, ginner, Anthony; Louisiana – Jason Condrey, producer, Lake Providence; Heath Herring, producer, St. Joseph; and Russell Ratcliff, III, producer, St. Joseph; Mississippi – David Cochran, Jr., ginner, Greenville; Henry N. Reichle, Jr., cooperative, and Dwayne Coward, warehouser, both of Greenwood; Missouri/Illinois –Riley James, ginner, New Madrid, Mo.; Chris Porter, producer, Essex, Mo.; and Stephen Harris, ginner, Senath, Mo.; New Mexico – Alberto Pando, ginner, Mesquite; Dean Calvani, producer, Carlsbad; and Alisa Ogden, producer, Loving; North Carolina – Brad Warren, producer, Faison; Rob Fleming, Jr., producer, Zebulon; and Tommy Flythe, Jr., producer, Seaboard; Oklahoma – Jantz Bain, ginner, and Mark Nichols, producer, both of Altus; and Jeannie Hileman, ginner, Hobart; South Carolina – Drake Perrow, ginner, Cameron; Thomas McMeekin, merchant, Spartanburg; and William Bowen, Jr., manufacturer, Inman; Tennessee/Kentucky – Bradley Williams, ginner, Burlison, Tenn.; John Lindamood, producer, Tiptonville, Tenn.; and Mark Korn, producer, Dyersburg, Tenn.; Texas – Barry Street, ginner, Kress; David Wyatt, ginner, Woodsboro; and Elmer Braden, Jr., producer, Coyanosa; VIRGINIA – Steele Byrum, producer, Zuni; Clay Lowe, producer, Wakefield; and Bruce Alphin, ginner, Windsor.