Northwest Farm Credit Services board of directors is composed of 14 directors. Eleven directors are customers of Northwest FCS and are elected by the rest of the voting membership to represent one of eleven geographic regions which comprise Northwest FCS' operating territory. Three directors are appointed by the other members of the board. Two of these appointed directors are outside directors and cannot be customers, stockholders, employees or agents of any Farm Credit Institution. One outside director is intended to bring specific financial and accounting experience to the board. The third appointed director position is used by the board to assure representation of all major market segments which Northwest FCS serves.
Board Chair
Drew Eggers - Meridian, Idaho
Mr. Eggers was reelected in 2009 and his term expires in 2014. Drew operates a diversified, irrigated row crop farm, producing peppermint, spearmint, sugar beets, winter wheat, alfalfa seed, alfalfa hay, and onions.
Board Vice Chair
Kevin Riel - Yakima, Washington
Mr. Riel was elected in 2007 and his term expires in 2012. He raises hops, apples and Concord grapes. Mr. Riel is a member of Knights of Columbus, third degree, Hop Growers of America, liaison, Washington State (and Yakima County) Fire Commissioners Association, Knighthood-International Order of the Hop, Lanzhou, China, National Grape Co-op, Tree Top Co-op, and Cenex/Land of Lakes Co-op, and Farm Bureau.
Rick Barnes - Callahan, California
Mr. Barnes owns and manages a 1,500 acre cow/calf operation with some timber. He also produces grass hay for the horse market. Rick has commercially grown alfalfa, seed garlic, wheat, experimental soybeans, sunflowers, wine grapes and tree crops. He currently serves as a Director for Siskiyou Resource Conservation District. Rick was elected in 2010 and his term will expire in 2015.
Jim Farmer - Nyssa, Oregon
Mr. Farmer operates a 2,000 acre irrigated row crop farm producing onions, wheat, field corn, and dry edible beans for seeds. With his brother and son, Jim established TraceProduce.com, an online produce tracing and inspection program that enhances their operation’s marketing efforts. Jim is currently a member of both the Idaho Farm Bureau and Oregon Farm Bureau. He was elected in 2010 and his term expires in 2015.
Mark Gehring - Salem, Oregon
Mr. Gehring operates a 1,000 acre irrigated farm raising Marion berries, blackberries, and turf grasses for seed. Elected in 2010, his term expires in 2015. Mark currently serves as the Board Chairman of RainSweet, Inc./RS Growers Cooperative, Inc.
Dave Hedlin - Mount Vernon, Washington
Mr. Hedlin owns and operates a third-generation farm in Western Washington's Skagit Valley. His primary crops are vegetable seed, pickling cucumbers, pumpkins, and wheat. He was elected to the board in 2006 and his term expires in 2011.
Herb Karst - Sunburst, Montana
Mr. Karst was elected in 2008 and his term expires in 2013. He produces wheat, barley, canola and hay on a 4,300 acre farm. Herb is past president of the Montana Grain Growers Association.
Ed Malesich - Dillon, Montana
Mr. Malesich was reelected in 2007 to a five-year term that expires in 2012. He operates a commercial cow-calf operation and raises wheat, malt barley and alfalfa hay. Mr. Malesich is Vice Chairman of Rocky Mountain Supply, a Southwest Montana supply cooperative.
Bruce Nelson - Farmington, Washington
Mr. Nelson was reelected in 2009 and his term expires in 2014. He raises several varieties of wheat, peas, lentils, barley, and nursery trees. He is past president of the Washington Wheat Growers Association. He serves on the FCC Board of Directors. FCC is a Farm Credit System trade association which handles primarily legislative and regulatory matters.
Dave Nisbet - Bay Center, Washington
Mr. Nisbet is an outside director appointed by the board in March 2007. His term expires in 2012. He grows Pacific oysters and owns a shellfish processing plant. Mr. Nisbet is vice president of the Pacific Shellfish Institute, Advisory Board Member, Oregon State University Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station-COMES, executive board member OSU Seafood Consumer Center, and member of the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association.
Karen Schott - Broadview, Montana
Ms. Schott was elected in 2006 and her term expires in 2011. She raises winter wheat, spring wheat and peas, and she manages a lease pasture operation. Ms. Schott serves as secretary of the family farming operation, Bar Four F Ranch, Inc. She is also a member of the advisory committee to the Montana Southern Ag Research Station and a member of the planning committee for the Broadview Community Center Board.
Julie Shiflett - Spokane, Washington
Ms. Shiflett is the president of CFO Outsourcing, LLC, which assists emerging and mid-market companies to increase cash profitability, sales and company value by providing high-level financial analysis and guidance.. She was appointed to the board as an at-large outside (non-customer) director in 2008. Her term expires in 2013.
Christy Burmeister-Smith - Spokane, Washington
Ms. Burmeister-Smith is the Vice President-Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of Avista Corp, a company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy such as electricity and natural gas. Christy was appointed by the Northwest FCS board as an outside (non-customer) director in 2010. Her term expires in 2015.
Shawn Walters - Newdale, Idaho
Mr. Walters was appointed to the board to fill the unexpired term of Brad Foster. His term expires in 2011. Shawn raises potatoes, wheat and barley while operating a fresh pack potato operation. He also serves on the Idaho Potato Commission.