Farm Credit East Announces Board Election Results and Reorganization

ENFIELD, CONN. — Farm Credit East, a customer-owned cooperative lender and financial services provider, has announced the results of its recent director elections and board reorganization meeting. The 15-member board represents the diversity of Northeast agriculture and forest products.

Farm Credit East, ACA stockholders recently elected the following four members to serve on its board of directors:

• James Crane, of Exeter, Maine, was elected to a three-year term in the Eastern Region. James is co-owner and manager of Crane Bros. Inc., growing grain corn and chipping potatoes.
• LouAnne King, of Waddington, NY, was elected to a four-year term in the Eastern Region. LouAnne is an owner of Mapleview Dairy LLC, a family owned and operated dairy farm.
• Joel Viereck, of Logan Twp, NJ, was elected to a four-year term in the Central Region. Joel is the farm operations manager of Viereck Farms LLC, a fourth-generation diversified vegetable, fruit and grain operation.
• John Knopf, of Canandaigua, NY, was elected to a four-year term in the Western Region. John is senior member and majority owner of Fa-Ba Farms, LLC, a dairy farm.

Farm Credit East congratulates the winning candidates and thanks customer-members for participating in the election process.

At the April 29 reorganization meeting, the board re-elected John Knopf as Chair and LouAnne King as Vice Chair. In addition to Chair Knopf and Vice Chair King, the Executive Committee also includes Laurie Griffen, of Schuylerville, N.Y., James Robbins II, of Searsmont, Maine, and Kyle Thygesen, of Tunbridge, Vt.

Additionally, at the April 29 board meeting, Christopher Cebula, of Honeoye Falls, N.Y. and president of investment advisory services at Armbruster Capital Management, Inc., was appointed to the board as an outside director. Mr. Cebula will begin his 4-year term in July, bringing the full board to 16 members.

Also at this meeting, Cathryn Kennedy, of Wright’s Dairy Farm in North Smithfield, R.I., and John Kelder, of Kelder’s Farm in Kerhonkson, N.Y., were retained to serve the board in a non-voting advisor role to provide the young, beginning, small, veteran (YBSV) perspective. Both will serve a term beginning in July and ending in March 2026.

“Farm Credit East has an essential role in supporting Northeast agriculture, commercial fishing and forest products businesses,” said Chair Knopf. “We have an experienced board of directors representing the diversity of the region’s agriculture, allowing us to effectively represent members across the territory. We welcome our new members and advisors who will bring additional skills and perspectives to the board.”

Farm Credit East is a customer-owned agricultural cooperative and part of the nationwide Farm Credit System. Farm Credit East serves Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Currently, the full Farm Credit East board is comprised of 15 directors, which includes two appointed directors who bring additional skills and capabilities to the boardroom. In addition to those recently elected or appointed to the board and those elected to leadership and Executive Committee positions, the board includes: David Folino, Starksboro, Vt.; Jamie Jones, Shelton, Conn.; Brett Kreher, Clarence, N.Y.; Jay McWatters, Hamburg, N.Y.; Douglas Shelmidine, Adams, N.Y.; Peter Triandafillou, Orono, Maine; Amy Walker-Bailey, Fort Ann, N.Y.; and Terry Zittel, Eden, N.Y.

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