Jim joined the team in March of 2018 as CEO and President. Jim grew up on a 500 cow-calf operation in Conde, South Dakota cultivating 3,200 acres of row crops and small grains. He attended Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota to obtain a degree in Ag Business. Jim began his career at Harvest States and regionally owned locations of Land O’Lakes. Then after 19 years with Central Valley Cooperative, focusing on primarily grain and feed business, Jim joined Cooperative Producers Incorporated (CPI) in Hastings, Nebraska as their Vice President of Grain. Jim has been in various management roles in the cooperative system since 1989. Jim and his wife of 35 years have two grown daughters and a son-in-law. Jim enjoys the outdoors, camping, kayaking and pheasant hunting.