At its 2023 Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 28-30, the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) presented several awards and announced both outgoing and incoming board members.
Winner of the 2023 Jack Eberspacher Lifetime Achievement Award was Joe Hodges, formerly of The Andersons Inc., Douglass Fertilizer and Chemical Inc., and the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association. This year’s Distinguished Service Award went to Toby Hlavinka, President and CEO of American Plant Food Corp. (APF), Galena Park, Texas.
The Retailer of the Year Award went to Mid Kansas Cooperative (MKC), Moundridge, Kan., and was accepted by President and CEO Brad Stedman and Executive VP and CFO Dave Spears. The 2023 AGCO Operator of the Year winner was Lee Pemberton of Makin Trax Inc., Pembina, N.D. ARA’s new Excellence in Advocacy Award went to Mike Twining, VP of Sales and marketing for Willard Agri-Service, Frederick, Md. Another new award, the Business Innovation Award sponsored by Farm Journal and Ever.Ag Agribusiness, went to GreenPoint Ag, Decatur, Ala.
Outgoing ARA Board Chair Ian McGregor, President of The McGregor Co., Colfax, Wash., announced incoming Board Chair Amy Asmus, Owner and Co-Founder of Asmus Farm Supply Inc., Rake, Iowa.
ARA also welcomed incoming Board Members Jeff Freeman, Marion Ag Service; Brent Wallner, Brandt Consolidated; Brad Locke, Valley Agronomics; Teresa McNeal, Sygenta; Mark Shillingford, BASF; Bob Ness, The Mosaic Co.; Molly Biedenfeld, Yara North America; and Sam Pendleton, Easy Automation. Retiring Board Members include Richard Lloyd, Superior Ag; Gary Vogen, Yara North America; Ernie Chappell, Ever.Ag Agribusiness; Toby Hlavinka, APF; Ian McGregor, The McGregor Co.; Jim Davis, Meherrin Ag; Tim Richie, The Mosaic Co.; and Mike Hofer, BASF.
ARA also used the conference venue to recognize a group of emerging ag retail leaders as part of its Rising Stars professional development program, sponsored by Atticus. This year’s members include Newt Albert, The Equity; Nick Arnold, Rick Clark, Matt Dirlam, Dane Hardebeck, and JD Hoffman, Co-Alliance Cooperative; Julia Austin, GreenPoint Ag; Joshua Beyer, Willard Agri-Service; Scott Birth, Rocky Mountain Agronomics; Austin Cambell, MKC; Brian Kintelmann, Brandt; Kinsey Hall, Growmark Inc.; Hannah Kammeyer, Marion Ag Service Inc.; Amanda Kerbs, Simplot Grower Solutions; Mike Lee and James Ragsdale, Southern States Cooperative Inc.; Parker Ludeking, Insight FS; Dylan Meyer, River Valley Cooperative; Curtis Miller, Eldon C. Stutsman Inc.; Chelsea O’Brien, Superior Ag; Tyler Schultes, Landus; and Celsey Stevenson, New Century FS Inc.