SDCGA presents Outstanding Service Awards

The South Dakota Corn organizations recently recognized directors who have served their allowed terms with the organization. The directors received awards during the South Dakota Corn Growers Association’s Annual Meeting held Jan. 5 in Sioux Falls.

David Gillen of White Lake, SD has served on the SDCGA board since August 1999 and currently serves as chairman; he is a past president of the organization. David’s natural leadership can be credited for strengthening relationships with our national leaders and industry partners; he has hosted U.S. Senators in his home and during numerous industry pheasant hunts at his family’s hunting enterprise. He has been very active on the national level as a member of the National Corn Growers Association Public Policy Action Team. David has led policy direction for the SDCGA and nationally and his ability to understand and author major pieces of policy have been an asset to South Dakota and the nation.

During Mike Randall’s tenure with the SDCUC, he has served as a leader in representing livestock interests and has embraced the big picture of biotechnology. He has represented the SDCUC at national biotechnology conferences and he is dedicated to finding ways for producers to profit from the technology coming down the pike. Randall has held several executive positions for the board and has been an excellent spokesperson for media. Randall is a past president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association and his leadership has been an asset to the SDCUC.

Ron Olson joined the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council board of directors in 2002 and has played an active role in directing the research efforts of the organization. In addition to holding multiple executive positions on the SDCUC board, Olson has served on the National Corn Growers Association Corn Board, and currently is the chairman of the Farming Systems Initiative, a collaborative effort of South Dakota’s commodity organizations dedicated to joining resources for systems-approach research funding at SDSU. Olson is a crop producer from the Waubay, S.D., area and is a past president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association.

Bill Whipple lives near Wilmont, S.D., where he farms using no-till practices on corn, soybeans and wheat. Whipple has served the SDCGA board since 1999 and was instrumental during the time when a transition was made for the South Dakota Corn Growers and South Dakota Corn Utilization Council to share one staff. Whipple has also been very involved in the ethanol industry, serving on the board of directors for the Northern Lights Ethanol plant. He has held executive offices in the SDCGA and is known to offer needed insight on key issues.

Industry Reps: The SDCGA is fortunate to have four outstanding industry partners participate as directors on the board. Their collective and independent vision offers tremendous value and insight to the decisions and efforts made for the industry. The industry representatives provide the link between our growers and our allied industry and working together strengthens South Dakota agriculture. The SDCGA’s retiring industry reps are Tom Branhan with Glacial Lakes Energy; Daryl Molskness with Monsanto; Kent Mulder with Eastern Farmers Coop; and Larry Wagner, representing the crop scouting industry.