CVA Hosts Virtual Annual Meeting

Central Valley Ag Cooperative (CVA) recently hosted its Annual Meeting virtually on November 23, 2020, for member-owners to review the fiscal year. CVA reported $22.9 million in Total Profit from $1.5 billion in total sales for their fiscal year 2020, ending on August 31, 2020.

“In the face of massive challenges, our people were able to rally around our mission and vision to find a way to win,” said Carl Dickinson, CEO/President of Central Valley Ag. “We added to our ability to be successful long term with a stronger balance sheet. We reinvested in people, technology, and assets. As I reflect on fiscal year 19/20, I am proud to say that we lived up to our vision of being a world-class cooperative.”

“CVA, who has one of the strongest balance sheets in the nation for local cooperatives, not only survived 2020 but thrived,” said Don Swanson, Chief Financial Officer. “Much of this is due to merging in Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative in Ainsworth, Nebraska and purchasing the assets of Agrex in Laurel, Nebraska.” The cooperative also invested $46.3 Million in several capital improvement and expansion projects to better serve patrons.

At the meeting, CVA also announced the newly elected members of their Board of Directors. CVA member-owners elected the following individuals to represent their voice on the board:

• Kurt Thoene (Hartington, NE) – Region 2
• Paul Jarecke (Clarks, NE) – Region 3
• Carmen Schlickbernd (West Point, NE) – Region 4
• Luke Carlson (York, NE) – Region 5
• Tom Vodicka (Surprise, NE) – Region 6
• Ryan May (Hunter, KS) – Region 9

“Our Board of Directors play a visionary role in helping CVA succeed,” said Dave Beckman, CVA Board Chairman. “I want to thank our departing board members, Raymond Larson from Green, Kansas, and Rob Chatt from Tekamah, Nebraska, for their service and dedication to CVA. Rob was appointed to the CVA board as an associate director; he was later elected and served ten years. Raymond began his board service as an associate director at Farmers Coop Elevator in Upper Greenleaf, Kansas in 1985 and served 35 years at predecessor Coops and CVA.”

CVA relies on its Board of Directors to position CVA for future success and profitability for member-owners. CVA’s Board of Directors is made up of local, agricultural producers who are recognized for their industry expertise, as well as economic and community development skills.

“Serving on the board of directors for the co-op is a challenge, a reward, and a learning experience, all wrapped in one,” said Mark Philips, CVA Board Member from Akron, Iowa. “It’s an honor to serve the members and be a part of the strategic planning that goes into what the co-op will look like in the future.”

READ THE 2020 ANNUAL REPORT HERE