Leadership team

Jay Debertin is president and chief executive officer of CHS, the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and an agronomy, global energy, grains and food company.

In 2017, Jay was named president and CEO following 33 years of leadership roles across the company. He has been with the cooperative since 1984.

Since becoming president and CEO of CHS, Jay has driven the strategy to strengthen the company through advancing operational excellence, strengthening the company’s financial performance and building a team to grow the company’s core businesses to create connections that empower agriculture. Jay previously held the positions of executive vice president and chief operating officer for CHS Energy and Processing and Food Ingredients.

In his role as president and CEO, Jay leads a $31.9 billion company that provides end-to-end products and leverages the strength of the company’s supply chain to support the nation’s farmers and cooperatives.

Working for CHS was, in part, a coming home for Jay. He grew up in the heart of the Red River Valley in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, in a community surrounded by agriculture and a strong cooperative system.

Jay has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Jay serves as chairman of the board for Ventura Foods, LLC, a joint venture of which CHS is part owner. He also sits on the boards of Securian Financial and Visitation High School. He has previously served as chairman of the National Cooperative Refinery Association and as a board member for Horizon Milling and the Minnesota Opera. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and three daughters.

David Black is senior vice president, enterprise strategy, and chief information officer for CHS, a leading energy, grains and foods company and the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States.

In his role, Black is responsible for enterprise strategy, marketing and communications, facilities and CHS global information technology. He leads enterprise strategy, driving an ongoing review of company assets, strategic infrastructure and decision-making on opportunities for profitable growth. Black also leads the strategy, implementation, delivery and operation of information technology for all CHS businesses worldwide. He oversees the company’s owner and employee communications, advertising and public relations.

Prior to joining CHS in 2014, Black served as vice president, information technology, at Monsanto Company where he was responsible for all aspects of information technology for its global commercial businesses. During his 20 years with Monsanto, he held positions including vice president, corporate strategy, and president, Monsanto Agro-Services, LLC, a role in which he was responsible for new business development. He also held a broad range of global IT and enterprise roles including leadership assignments in Asia and Canada.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal recognized Black as a 2016 Titan of Technology for his transformational leadership at CHS. Black is former board chairman of Ag Gateway, a non-profit consortium of more than 300 businesses serving the agriculture industry which strives to promote, enable and expand e-business in agriculture. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Tarkio College, Tarkio, Missouri.

Rick Dusek is executive vice president for the Country Operations of CHS Inc., the leading U.S. farmer-owned agriculture cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company. He is responsible for the division delivering agricultural inputs, energy products, grain marketing, animal nutrition, sunflower processing and other farm supplies and services to producer-owners through 450 communities in 16 states. He was appointed to his current role in 2017.

Since 2014, Dusek had served as vice president of CHS Agronomy, responsible for global crop nutrients supply and trading; North American fertilizer operations, sales and marketing; and for developing additional agronomy product and technology offerings.

Prior to that, Dusek was vice president, grain marketing, where he was responsible for all North American commodity trading, logistics and transportation, risk management, and coordinating trades executed by the company’s South American, European and Asia-Pacific businesses. Dusek and his team were also responsible for strategic expansion of the company’s North American grain origination platform, including inland river terminal acquisitions and development and upgrading of export terminal facilities. 
  
Dusek joined CHS in 1988 and spent his early days on the wheat export trading desk. He was named director of merchandising in 2006 and vice president of grain marketing in 2012. He currently serves on the board of directors for The Fertilizer Institute, and is a past board member of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange.

Born and raised in Grafton, N.D., Dusek earned a bachelor’s of science degree in agricultural economics from North Dakota State University. He is a 2013 graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, a personalized learning experience for global business managers to develop best management practices and strategies to sustain long-term growth.

John Griffith is senior vice president, CHS Global Grain & Processing and CHS Hedging, a U.S. farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company. He is responsible for all CHS global commodity and renewable fuels trading, supply chain management and risk management, including freight, currency, execution and trade finance. He also oversees CHS Hedging, LLC, a commodities brokerage subsidiary of CHS Inc.

Griffith grew up on a corn, soybean and livestock farm in southwestern Minnesota and during his high school years, worked part-time at a local grain elevator. Today, he is a results oriented, respected leader who champions long-term origination and develops strong, customer-focused teams to monitor market trends for opportunities that drive revenue growth and add stakeholder value across all global origination offices and operations. 

Prior roles at CHS grain marketing include vice president, Grain Marketing North America, vice president and merchandising manager, senior durum manager, procurement merchandiser, and assistant barley merchandiser. 

Leadership positions outside CHS include vice president, supply chain, and vice president, global sourcing at American Italian Pasta Company, Kansas City, Mo., and vice president and chief procurement officer for Ralcorp Holdings, Inc., St. Louis, Mo.

Griffith earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., and a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Mo. He is a member of many trade associations and serves in leadership positions for the Minneapolis Grain Exchange (chair, personnel and compensation committee), and the North American Export Grain Association. He also serves as the board chairman for CHS Hedging, LLC.

Gary Halvorson is a senior vice president of Agronomy for CHS, the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company. Halvorson is responsible for all aspects of Agronomy from commodity and specialty fertilizers to seed, crop protection and precision ag technology and services.

Halvorson has more than 20 years of experience in various agronomy roles, previously working for Cargill and serving as a sales agronomist at a local cooperative. He joined CHS in 1999 and held various leadership roles with CHS in Milton, N.D., and Dakota Ag Services in Minot, N.D., before becoming general manager for CHS Ag Services, Warren, Minn. Halvorson served as vice president of farm supply for CHS Country Operations from 2014-2017. He currently sits on the boards of the Agricultural Retailers Association and CHS Capital and represents CHS on the United Prairie board of directors.

Halvorson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from Concordia University and has completed many other career development and management courses, including Leading for Growth, Dale Carnegie training and the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program.

Darin Hunhoff has been executive vice president, Energy, for CHS since May 2017.  He leads CHS energy operations, including refineries, pipelines and terminals, refined fuels, propane, lubricants and transportation. He also leads CHS Processing and Food Ingredients, which includes processing of grain commodities including canola, soybean, sunflower and ethanol processing plants. In addition, he oversees the CHS Cooperative Resources group, which provides resources to member cooperatives to meet their strategy and leadership development needs.

Hunhoff serves on the board of directors for Ardent Mills. He joined CHS more than 25 years ago as a petroleum specialist. He has also been chief strategy officer for CHS and has spent several years in energy leadership roles, including time as senior vice president of refined fuels. He earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and business management from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota.

Mary Kaul-Hottinger is senior vice president, Human Resources, for CHS, a leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and food company.

In her role, Kaul-Hottinger is responsible for setting direction and strategy to help CHS achieve key priorities with a focus on helping the organization attract, develop and retain high-performing and diverse employees to drive business growth and the company’s strategic priorities.

Kaul-Hottinger has more than 32 years of experience in human resources, most recently serving as vice president, human resources for Ecolab’s global businesses where she and her team supported multiple business units with more than 30,000 employees in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Prior to joining Ecolab in 2007, Mary served in human resource leadership roles supporting operating divisions at General Mills and Pillsbury. She also held human resources roles at Securian Financial, formerly Minnesota Life. 

Kaul-Hottinger earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn. She serves on the board for the Dakota Woodlands Homeless Shelter.

Olivia Nelligan is executive vice president and chief financial officer of CHS, the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and food company.

Olivia brings more than 20 years of experience as a global finance leader and business partner with expertise leading transformation across teams and delivering sustainable, profitable growth. Most recently, she served as founder and chief executive officer of Inish Enterprises, a strategic advisory firm. Prior to that, Olivia served as chief executive officer of Nasco, LLC, a private equity-owned company that provides specialty products for education, healthcare, laboratory testing and agriculture. After serving as Nasco’s CEO, she served as non-executive chair of the company’s board. Before being named Nasco’s CEO, Olivia was the company’s chief financial officer.

Prior to joining Nasco, she spent 14 years at Kerry Group, a global leader in technology-based food ingredients, flavors and solutions where she held finance and strategy leadership positions, including serving as global chief financial and strategic planning officer for the Taste & Nutrition division and chief financial officer for the Americas Ingredients & Flavors division. She began her career at Arthur Andersen in Dublin, Ireland.

Olivia has a bachelor’s degree in civil law and a higher diploma in business & financial information systems from University College Cork, Ireland. She is a chartered accountant and an associate member of the Institute of Taxation in Ireland. Olivia earned an MBA at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Jim Zappa is executive vice president and general counsel for CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods business.  In his role, Zappa provides counsel to CHS leadership and the CHS Board of Directors on issues related to company strategy and its execution, corporate governance, government affairs, and compliance with laws and regulations, including the CHS global compliance program. He also works with the CHS corporate finance team to ensure the company maintains the processes and infrastructure that support robust Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting and compliance, disclosure and investor communications.  In addition to his role as general counsel, Zappa currently serves as a director for Ventura Foods, LLC. 

Zappa joined CHS in April 2015 after serving as vice president, associate general counsel and chief compliance officer for 3M Company. In that position, he led a global legal team responsible for overall corporate compliance and business conduct. He previously served as vice president, associate general counsel, International Operations, working with 3M global subsidiaries and business operations. His career also included serving as counsel to the 3M Board’s Compensation Committee, assistant general counsel for consumer and office business and human resources; and counsel and assistant general counsel for labor and employment law. Prior to joining 3M, he worked for UnitedHealth Group and for the law firm Dorsey & Whitney.

Zappa earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School, a master’s degree in communication arts and sciences from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s degree from Drake University. He is an active community volunteer and currently serves as a director of the Greater Twin Cities United Way and the Boy Scouts of America, Northern Star Council.

Dan Schurr joined the CHS Board of Directors in 2006 and serves as chair of the CHS Board and the board’s Executive Committee. He previously served as secretary-treasurer and first vice chair of the CHS Board.

Schurr is on the board for Blackhawk Bank and Trust, serving on its audit and loan committees. He is past chair and board member of the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area and past director of the River Valley Cooperative of Mt. Joy, Iowa, and Great River Bank. He is active in numerous agriculture and community organizations and was named the Iowa Jaycees Outstanding Young Farmer in 2004.

Schurr holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business, with a minor in economics, from Iowa State University. He completed the National Association of Corporate Directors comprehensive Director Professionalism course, receiving its Certificate of Director Education and Board Leadership Fellow status. 

He raises corn and soybeans near LeClaire, Iowa, and operates a commercial trucking business.

C.J. Blew was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2010 and currently serves as first vice chair of the CHS Board and the board’s Executive Committee. He is a member of the board’s Audit and Capital committees. Blew previously served as second vice chair of the CHS Board and was a member of the CHS Resolutions Committee. 

Blew serves on the Mid Kansas Coop (MKC) board of directors in Moundridge, Kan. He is a member of the Hutchinson Community College Ag Advisory Board, Kansas Livestock Association, Texas Cattle Feeder’s Association and Red Angus Association of America.

Blew holds an applied science degree in farm and ranch management from Hutchinson Community College. He has achieved Board Governance Fellowship status from the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Blew farms and ranches in south-central Kansas in a family partnership. 

Jon Erickson was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2011 and currently serves as second vice chair of the CHS Board and the board's Executive Committee. He chairs the Capital Committee and serves as a membor of the Audit Committee. He previously served on the CHS Resolutions Committee. 

Erickson is a member of North Dakota Farmers Union and the North Dakota Stockman’s Association. He previously served as director and chair of Enerbase of Minot, N.D. He is a past director on the North Dakota Farmers Union (NDFU) board, the NDFU Mutual Insurance board and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. He is the third generation of his family to serve in a cooperative leadership role.

Erickson holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from North Dakota State University. He has completed course work and been designated a Board Leadership Fellow by the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Erickson operates the third-generation Diamond T Ranch southwest of Minot, N.D., where his family raises small grains and oilseeds and has a commercial Hereford-Angus cow-calf operation.

Russ Kehl was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2017 and serves as secretary-treasurer of the CHS Board and the board’s Executive Committee. Kehl also serves as vice chair of the board's Governance Committee and as vice chair of Capital Committee. He previously was a member of the CHS Resolutions Committee. 

Most recently, Kehl served as a director for CHS SunBasin Growers, Quincy, Wash. He had been a director since 2004 for CHS Connell Grain, which merged with CHS Sun Basin in 2017 to create CHS SunBasin Growers. He also been vice chair of the Columbia Basin Seed Association.

Kehl has participated in numerous leadership programs, including opportunities provided through Northwest Farm Credit Services, the National Potato Council and the CHS new leaders program.  He earned his NACD Governance Fellowship in 2019. 

Kehl and his wife raise a variety of crops, including potatoes and dry beans. The Kehl family owns and operates a cow-calf herd, a dry bean processing facility, a custom farming business, and a trucking and logistics company.

Steve Riegel was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2006 and currently serves as assistant secretary-treasurer of the CHS Board and the board’s Executive Committee. He is a member of the Governance and Capital committees. 

Riegel is an advisory director for Bucklin National Bank. He is the former chair of Pride Ag Resources, Dodge City, Kan., and previously served as a director and officer for Ford-Kingsdown Cooperative and Co-op Service, Inc.

Riegel attended Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kan., majoring in agriculture business and animal science. He has completed the National Association of Corporate Directors comprehensive Director Professionalism course and been awarded its Certificate of Director Education and Board Leadership Fellow status.

Riegel raises corn, soybeans, alfalfa, dryland wheat and milo and operates a cow-calf operation near Ford, Kan. 

David Beckman was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2018. He serves as vice chair of the Board's Government Relations committee and as a member of the Corporate Risk committee. Beckman was a member of the CHS Resolutions Committee in 2017 and 2018.

Beckman is board chair for Central Valley Ag Cooperative, York, Neb., and secretary of the Nebraska Cooperative Council. Previously, he chaired Central Farmers Cooperative, O'Neill, Neb., and Farmers Cooperative Exchange, Elgin, Neb.

Beckman earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

With his wife, sons and brother and their families, Beckman raises irrigated corn and soybeans and operates a custom hog-feeding operation near Elgin, Neb. 

Hal Clemensen was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2019. He is a member of the Government Relations and Corporate Risk committees.

Clemensen currently serves on the Agtegra Cooperative board, which formed when South Dakota Wheat Growers and North Central Farmers Elevator merged in 2018. Prior to the merger, he held several leadership roles with the Wheat Growers Cooperative. Clemensen has also served as a director of the South Dakota Value Added Agriculture Development Center, South Dakota Soybean Association and Redfield Farmers Union Oil Company. In 2015, Clemensen was named Farm Cooperative Director of the Year by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC).

Clemensen has been active with the South Dakota Soybean Association and South Dakota Corn Growers. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Presentation College, the Avera Rural Cancer Advisory Board and has served on his church board of directors. He’s a previous member of the local Lions Club.

Clemensen graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in agricultural economics and agricultural business.

He and his wife raise corn, soybeans and occasionaly wheat in Brown and Spink Counties in South Dakota.

Scott Cordes was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2017. He serves as vice chair of the Audit Committee and as vice chair of the Corporate Risk Committee. 

Cordes was president of CHS Hedging, LLC, and served on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s ag advisory committee. He serves on the board of Security State Bank of Wanamingo and Coopeative Network and previously was a director for the Minneapolis Grain Exchange and National Futures Association. Cordes is a member of a several cooperatives, including Ag Partners, Goodhue, Minn.; CFS (Central Farm Service), Owatonna, Minn.; Farmers Co-op Oil Company, Echo, Minn.; and Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association.

Cordes holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and has completed the Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership at the University of Missouri-Columbia. 

Cordes operates a corn and soybean farm near Wanamingo, Minn., with his cousin.

Mark Farrell was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2016. He is a member of the Board’s Audit committee and vice chair of the CHS Foundation Board of Trustees. 

Farrell served as a director and president of the Premier Cooperative board, Mount Horeb, Wis., and as a director for Mount Horeb Farmers Co-op. He was the president of that board when Mount Horeb merged with Patrons’ Mercantile Cooperative to form Premier Cooperative. Farrell also was a director of United Ethanol.

Farrell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison College Ag and Life Sciences short course in 1978. 

Farrell operates a corn, soybean and wheat farm in Dane County, Wis., with his brother and son.

Steve Fritel was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2003. He is a member of the board’s Audit Committee and chair of the Corporate Risk Committee. Fritel previously served as secretary-treasurer and first and second vice chair of the CHS Board. 

Steve served four years on the former Harvest States Wheat Milling Defined Member Board and 21 years on the board of Rugby Farmers Union Elevator. He is a past board member of the North Central Experiment Station Board of Visitors, North Dakota Farm and Ranch Business Management Advisory Board, Envision Cooperative and Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives.

Fritel earned an associate degree from North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D. He has completed course work and has been designated a Board Leadership Fellow by the National Association of Corporate Directors. 

Fritel raises cash grain, including spring wheat, barley, soybeans, edible beans, corn and canola on his family farm near Rugby, N.D. Fritel sells some of his edible beans to local, family-owned restaurants. Fritel and his son continue to run his father’s 50-year-old family on-farm grain storage equipment business.

Alan Holm was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2013. He serves as chair of the board’s Government Relations Committee and is a member of the Corporate Risk Committee. Previously, Holm was a member and  chair of CHS Resolutions Committee. 

Holm is a member of the board of the Citizens Bank of Minnesota and a past member of the River Region Co-op Board, where he served for 21 years, with 12 years as chair. Holm also chaired the Southern Minnesota Co-op Directors Association and secretary of the Minnesota State Co-op Directors Association. He has held leadership positions with the Brown County Farm Service Agency, Ag Star Financial Services Advisory Board and Renville Co-op Transport. He has participated in numerous cooperative and agriculture educational programs, along with being an active coach and leader in area youth baseball and softball programs.

Holm holds an associate’s degree in machine tool technology from Mankato Technical College and has completed his Director Professionalism course through the National Association of Corporate Directors. He was awarded a Certificate of Director Education and Board Leadership Fellow status in 2016.

Holm partners with his daughter and son-in-law to raise corn, soybeans, sweet corn, peas and hay on their farm near Sleepy Eye, Minn., which has been in his family since 1870. Holm also has a cow-calf herd. 

David Johnsrud was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2012. He is a member of the Government Relations and Capital committees. Johnsrud previously served as secretary-treasurer of the CHS Board.

Johnsrud serves on the board of directors for the Cooperative Network and is former board chair of AgCountry Farm Credit Services and chair of its human resources committee. He has served on the Minnesota Farm Credit Legislative Committee as director and chair, was chair of the Minnesota Farm Credit nominating committee for an AgriBank election and served on the Farmers Union Oil and CHS Prairie Lakes  boards of directors. Johnsrud also served on the Mid-Minnesota Association Board, with terms as secretary and chair, and on the Minnesota State Co-op Directors Association, with terms as treasurer.

In 2010, he completed the Farm Credit Services Premier Governance Series, became a Certified Director and graduated from the Minnesota Agricultural and Rural Leadership program. He has completed course work and has been designated a Board Leadership Fellow by the National Association of Corporate Directors. 

Johnsrud farms in partnership with his brother and nephew near Starbuck, Minn.

Tracy Jones was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2017 and is a member of the board’s Governance and Capital committees. 

Jones currently serves on the DeKalb County board. He previously served as a CHS Elburn (Ill.) board member from 1996 to 2018, as well as on the boards of DeKalb Kane Cattlemen’s Association and DeKalb County Corn Growers.

Jones earned an associate degree in farm management from Kishwaukee College, Malta, Ill., and is a 2006 graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation program. 

Jones operates a fourth-generation family farm near Kirkland, Ill., that produces corn, soybeans, wheat and cattle.

David Kayser was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2006. He serves as chair of the Board of Trustees of the CHS Foundation and as a member of the Governance Committee. He previously was a member of the CHS Resolutions Committee. 

Kayser chairs the Mitchell Technical College Foundation Board. He previously served as a director and chair of Farmer’s Alliance, Mitchell, S.D., and chair of the South Dakota Association of Cooperatives.

Kayser has completed the National Association of Corporate Directors comprehensive Director Professionalism course and has received its Certificate of Director Education.

Kayser raises corn, soybeans and hay near Alexandria, S.D., and operates a cow-calf and feeder-calf business.

Ed Malesich was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2011. He chairs the board's Governance Committee and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the CHS Foundation. 

Malesich is a member of the Montana Stock Growers Association, Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana Farm Bureau and Montana Farmers Union. He serves on the board of the Montana Council of Co-ops. Malesich served on the board of Rocky Mountain Supply, Inc., Belgrade, Mont., and its predecessor cooperatives for 30 years. In addition, he served 13 years on the board of Northwest Farm Credit Services, Spokane, Wash., and 16 years as a director of the East Bench Irrigation District.

Malesich holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural production from Montana State University. He has completed the National Association of Corporate Directors comprehensive Director Professionalism course and has been awarded its Certificate of Director Education and Board Leadership Fellow status.

Malesich is president of Malesich Ranch Co., a diversified operation raising commercial Angus cattle near Dillon, Mont. Malesich Ranch also raises wheat, malt barley and hay and operates a custom haying business.

Perry Meyer was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2014. He chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Corporate Risk Committee. 

Meyer is active in United Farmers Co-op, Winthrop, Minn.; Central Region Cooperative, Sleepy Eye, Minn.; Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota and Nicollet County corn growers associations and Minnesota Pork Producers Association. He is director of Steamboat Pork Cooperative, Lafayette, Minn.; chair of the Nuvera Board, which he joined in 1995; and a director for the Minnesota Valley Lutheran School Foundation. He is past director for the former CHS Oilseed Defined Investment Board and Heartland Corn Products Cooperative. Meyer has held leadership roles on numerous local government boards.

Meyer holds a degree in agricultural mechanics from Alexandria Technical School. He attended the Cenex New Leaders Forum in 1985 and is a 2006 graduate of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program. 

With his daughter and son-in-law, Meyer operates a corn and soybean farm near New Ulm, Minn., and finishes hogs.

Kevin Throener was elected to the CHS Board of Directors in 2019. He is a member of the Governance Committee and the Board of Trustees of the CHS Foundation.

Throener has served as a director of CHS Dakota Plains Ag since 2014 and has been a member of Full Circle Ag and James Valley Grain.

He is active in the North Dakota Farmers Union and has served as vice president of Sargent County Farmers Union since 2007. Thoener is an active member of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and Knights of Columbus, a volunteer firefighter and a church council member. 

Throener attended North Dakota State University and majored in agricultural systems management.

A first-generation farmer, Throener and his wife raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cattle near Cogswell, N.D.