Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode will retire in January 2027 after leading the organization since 2013. The CRA Board of Directors has retained Sterling Martin to guide the search for his successor. Bode previously served as an assistant secretary of agriculture and worked on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Over the past four decades, he has been involved in every major update to federal food law, according to CRA. In 2024, he was selected to chair the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, 
Lisa Van Doren (AFFI photo)which advises USDA and USTR on trade policy. He also helped found the Plant Based Products Council and led CRA, along with more than 30 other associations, in sponsoring the annual Feeding the Economy report.
The American Frozen Food Institute hired Lisa Van Doren as chief of government affairs. She had been chief of staff for government affairs at the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives for the last 18 years. Earlier, she held roles with the National Corn Growers Association and House Agriculture Committee.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies named Joseph Dunford CEO. He will succeed John Hamre, who announced last year that he will retire as CEO after 26 years leading the organization. Dunford is a retired general and served as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2015 to 2019. Earlier, he was the 36th commandant of the Marine Corps and commanded the International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces–Afghanistan. Dunford will begin the new role May 7.
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Susan Lester was promoted to director of external affairs and operations at the National Council of Agricultural Employers. She has been with the organization over four and a half years, recently as manager of association services. In her new expanded role, Lester will join NCAE President and CEO John Hollay on public-facing initiatives, lead efforts to drive strategic communications, and oversee internal operations to better serve NCAE’s community nationwide.
The National Pork Prod
Emily Metz (American Egg Board photo)ucers Council welcomed new producer leaders to the officer team. Rob Brenneman of Washington, Iowa, who owns and operates multi-generational family farm Brenneman Pork, moved into the role of 2026-2027 president. Pat Hord, a fifth-generation pork producer who serves as CEO of Hord Family Farms in Bucyrus, Ohio, is now president-elect. Todd Marotz, chief production officer for Wakefield Pork from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, moved into the role of vice president. Duane Stateler, a fourth-generation pork producer and operator of Stateler Family Farms in McComb, Ohio, is now past-president after a year leading the organization.
Additionally, newly elected NPPC board members include: Robert “R.O.” Britt, who manages environmental affairs for Smithfield Hog Production, from Williamsburg, Virginia; Jay Miller, CEO of The Maschhoffs, from Carlyle, Illinois; Joe Popplewell, who holds a leadership role with Tyson Foods, from Perry, Oklahoma; and Mark Hayden, director of sales for Automated Production, in Moville, Iowa. Departing NPPC board members include: Francis Forst, Bob Ivey, Steve Malakowsky, Jeremy Pittman, and 2024-2025 NPPC president, Lori Stevermer.
Lauren Wilbor was promoted to political director at the Specialty Equipment Market Association. She was previously manager of digital communications and partnerships at the organization.
The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) announced 2026 industry award recipients. Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, was named the Ag Association Leader of the Year. The award recognizes senior executives who demonstrate exceptional leadership through their organization or association. According to a NAMA release, Metz transformed the American Egg Board through a modern, data-driven strategy that integrates advanced analytics, consumer insights and marketing performance. Under her leadership, the organization delivers more than $10 in industry revenue for every dollar invested on behalf of U.S. egg farmers, NAMA says. She has also strengthened the industry’s ability to respond to disruption, guiding the egg sector through challenges such as highly pathogenic avian influenza while launching the industry’s first national crisis communications program, NAMA says.
Additionally, NAMA named Brian Knifong, who serves as head of marketing and customer experience for Nutrien Ag Solutions, as the agribusiness leader of the year. The award marks the association’s most prestigious honor recognizing exceptional leadership across the private, public and academic sectors. Over the past year, he led a restructuring of Nutrien’s retail marketing organization to improve alignment and efficiency. NAMA says his field-first mindset ensures marketing strategies reflect real grower needs while positioning marketing as a strategic driver of business growth. Tom Posta, president and COO of Bader Rutter, was named marketer of the year. NAMA says he has helped the agency expand into adjacent sectors such as food and beverage and pet care while investing in artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance client insights and marketing performance during his nearly three decades at the agency.
Utah State University student Sara Bair won the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Collegiate Discussion Meet after a dynamic discussion on how communities can grow responsibly while protecting farms, ranches and the agricultural way of life. College student participants are judged on their ability to exchange ideas and information on an agricultural topic and work toward practical answers or solutions. Bair will receive her degree in spring 2027. Three additional finalists advanced through three rounds of 
Orion Samuelson broadcasting at WGN (NAFB photo)discussion to earn a spot in the Final Four: Torrie Reed of Georgia, Courtney Taibi of New York, and Brooke Beamesderfer of Pennsylvania. Thirty-six competitors from across the country participated in this year’s Collegiate Discussion Meet.
The Texas Bankers Association hired Chip Bartlett as senior vice president. He was previously vice president of government affairs at the Financial Services Forum and earlier worked for Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.
The Data Center Coalition added Keylin Lopez to staff as manager of federal affairs. She was a senior associate at Lot Sixteen.
Orion Samuelson, a legendary farm broadcaster known for his iconic voice and ability to distill complex farm topics into relatable news for urban audiences, died Monday, two weeks from his 92nd birthday. Samuelson was the voice of agriculture on Chicago’s WGN radio for 60 years, starting in 1960 until his retirement in 2020. His career took him to 43 countries, including Cuba, where he met with Fidel Castro, and to Moscow where he met with Mikhail Gorbachev, according to Wikipedia. Over his distinguished career, he interviewed or met with every president from Dwight Eisenhower to Donald Trump. He annually interviewed every secretary of agriculture during those same years and was the host of the popular “This Week in Agribusiness” television show. Samuelson received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including: the American Farm Bureau Federation Distinguished Service Award, Heifer Project International “Man of the Year,” Honorary FFA American Farmer Degree, National 4-H Hall of Fame, NAFB Hall of Fame, and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
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