NCGA Corn Board Selects South Dakota’s Darrin Ihnen as Next First Vice President (6-18-08)

The National Corn Growers Association Corn Board on Wednesday elected Darrin Ihnen of Hurley, S.D., to the position of first vice president for the 2009 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Ihnen and his family operate a farm growing irrigated and dry-land corn and soybeans. They also raise stock cows and manage a contract hog-feeding operation. Ihnen has been involved in corn-grower issues at local, state and national levels participating in NCGA’s Leadership Academy, South Dakota Corn Growers Association and NCGA’s Biotechnology Working Group and Production and Stewardship Action Team. He is also chairman of the board for POET Biorefining in Chancellor, S.D.

“I’m proud to have been chosen by those I respect so much, and am excited about the opportunity to further serve my fellow growers,” Ihnen said. “The months and years ahead are offering us many challenges, and we have a great team in place to not only meet these challenges but to continue expanding opportunities for our members.”

“Darrin has been a very active and respected grower-leader at the local, state and national level,” said Ron Litterer, NCGA president. “We’re proud he will be moving forward into a new leadership role with NCGA and are looking forward to making the most of his experience and insight.”

In October, Litterer, a Greene, Iowa, farmer, will become chairman of the Corn Board and Bob Dickey of Laurel, Neb, currently serving as first vice president, will become board president. Officers are traditionally rotated through the three positions each fiscal year.

The 15-member NCGA Corn Board executes the organization’s policy and strategic vision, as set forth by the Corn Congress, the semiannual meeting of affiliated state organizations. It also bears ultimate responsibility for NCGA’s financial affairs. Ihnen’s election needs to be ratified by the Corn Congress at its July 16 meeting in Washington, D.C.