Soybean leadership includes some from Downstate

The Illinois Soybean Association recently elected its 2014-15 officers. They include (from left) Duane Dahlman, assistant secretary-treasurer; Mike Marron, vice chairman; Don Guinnip, Production Committee chair; Lynn Rohrscheib, secretary; Bill Raben, chairman; Daryl Cates, Marketing Committee chair; and David Droste, treasurer

BLOOMINGTON – The Illinois Soybean Association today elected its 2014-15 leadership and seated new directors to its board, and several of those chosen have Southern Illinois ties.

Bill Raben, soybean farmer from Ridgway, was elected to serve as chairman for a second year. “I am humbled and honored to be elected again,” says Raben. “I look forward to serving as chairman, and helping doing what we can to become more relevant to Illinois soybean farmers and sharing to the rest of the nation what, why and how we do things in Illinois.”

Other Executive Committee members include Mike Marron, Fithian, as vice chairman; David Droste, Nashville, as treasurer; Lynn Rohrscheib, Fairmount, as secretary; Daryl Cates, Columbia, as assistant secretary-treasurer; Don Guinnip, Marshall, as Production Committee chair; and Duane Dahlman, Marengo, as Marketing Committee chair.

Two new at-large directors were elected to the board – Jenny Mennenga, LeRoy; and Austin Rincker, Moweaqua. Also seated to the board are new directors Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare, Nebo; Stan Born, Dunlap; and Carrie Winkelmann, Tallula. Bill Wykes, Yorkville, was elected to represent Illinois soybean growers on the American Soybean Association board.

Raben previously served as vice chair and chair for the ISA Membership Task Force. He operates a family farm with his brother, and has been an active member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, Gallatin County Soil & Water Conservation District and Wabash Valley Service Company. He has a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and was a high school ag instructor prior to farming full-time.

Marron served as ISA’s vice chairman last year and was previously assistant treasurer-secretary and chair of the ISA market access and advocacy target area. He was an ISA Soy Ambassador and is on the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health Committee. Marron serves on the Vermillion County Board and has a degree in ag economics from Murray State University.

Droste was assistant treasurer-secretary. He has served on the Washington County Farm Bureau, Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, Illinois Farm Bureau Ag Leaders of Tomorrow and Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation & Development Council.

Rohrscheib served on the ISA Production Committee last year. She was a 2013 member of the American Soybean Association DuPont Pioneer Young Leader class, and has held leadership positions with the Illinois FFA Alumni Council. She has been involved in the Vermillion County Farm Bureau serving on various committees and is a county election judge. She has a degree in plant and soul sciences from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Cates is new to the assistant secretary-treasurer role. He was a member of the ISA Executive Committee during his previous directorship, as well as the United Soybean Board and American Soybean Development Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois.

Dahlman served as chairman of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance and was vice chair for ISA’s Marketing Committee. He has been actively involved with the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, McHenry County Farm Bureau, McHenry Country Election Commission, Riley Township as a trustee, the Soy Nutrition Institute and Northeast Illinois Planning Commission.

Guinnip held the Production Committee chair position last year. He is a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau and has held offices in the Clark County Farm Bureau, Republican Central Committee and Knights of Columbus, as well as being a trustee for Marshall Township. He attended Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

The Illinois Soybean Association represents more than 45,000 soybean farmers in Illinois through the state checkoff and membership efforts. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and profitability research, promotion, issues management and analysis, communications and education Membership and advocacy efforts support Illinois soybean farmer interests in local areas, Springfield and Washington, D.C. ISA programs are designed to ensure Illinois soy is the highest quality, most dependable, sustainable and competitive in the global marketplace. For more information visit the website www.ilsoy.org.