Board Chairs

Ron Meeusen
Managing Director, Cultivian Sandbox
Interim Board Chair, Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

Ron Meeusen, PhD is a Managing Director of Cultivian Sandbox and co-founder and Managing Partner of Cultivian Ventures. Ron has over 30 years of experience in bringing new technologies and products to market. He has led research and development for major corporations in agricultural chemicals, field crop and vegetable genetics and breeding, animal health, novel foods and industrial materials. His successful projects include the world’s first field trial of a genetically engineered crop trait in 1986, development and launch of one of the first insect and herbicide resistant corn hybrids in 1996, introduction of a trans-fat free canola oil, and development of dozens of new varieties of field and vegetable crops on three continents. Ron has been a frequent speaker at conferences, a consultant to Federal policy on biotechnology regulatory issues, and active in industry trade groups. Prior to forming Cultivian Ron led the expansion of the biotechnology research and development program of Dow AgroSciences, and founded a successful biopharmaceutical company, Immuneworks, Inc. Ron represents Cultivian on the board of directors of AbCelex Technologies, Agrivida (Board Chair), enEvolv, Proterro, Rivertop Renewables, Vestaron and Virgin Plants. He was also a member of the board of directors of Allylix, Aratana Therapeutics and Divergence, Inc. Ron holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in plant cell biology, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in plant physiology.

Richard Guebert
President, Illinois Farm Bureau
Vice Chair, Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

Richard Guebert Jr., of Ellis Grove, is the 15th president of the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) and serves as full-time executive officer. He is also president of COUNTRY Financial, Illinois Agricultural Service Company, and the IAA Foundation. Prior to his election as president, Guebert served as vice president of the Illinois Farm Bureau from 2003-2013. As vice president, Guebert also served as chairman of the COUNTRY/IFB Governance Committee. In 2007, he was appointed by the IFB president to serve as chairman of a Floodplain Study Group. Guebert, his wife Nancy and his son, Kyle, operate a farm where they grow corn, soybeans, and wheat. In 2001, he served on the IFB Co-op Task Force and completed theAgricultural Leaders of Tomorrow leadership training. Guebert was named a Master Farmer in 2006 by Prairie Farmer magazine.

Board Members

Catherine Bertini
Distinguished Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs

An accomplished leader in international organization reform, Catherine Bertini has a distinguished career improving the efficiency and operations of organizations serving poor and hungry people in the United States and around the world.

She was named the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate for her transformational leadership at the World Food Programme (WFP), which she led for ten years, and for the positive impact she had on the lives of women. While in the US government, she expanded the electronic benefit transfer options for food stamp beneficiaries, created the food package for breast feeding mothers, presented the first effort to picture healthy diets, and expanded education and training opportunities for poor women.

Later, she co-chaired a successful effort to impact American policy supporting poor farmers in the developing world. The U.S. program is known as “Feed the Future”. As a United Nations Under Secretary General, she initiated efforts to reform the global system for security of staff and for the recognition of all staff marriages. She interacted with all UN agencies and their leadership through a variety of UN bodies in humanitarian, development, nutrition, security and management roles, and led UN humanitarian missions to the Horn of Africa and to Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel. With her World Food Prize, she created the Catherine Bertini Trust Fund for Girls’ Education to support programs to increase opportunities for girls and women to attend school. Bertini’s career includes over twenty years in the private sector; thirteen years as a university professor; three major foundations and a think tank; service in local, state and national governments; board membership in a variety of organizations.

At the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, she taught graduate courses in humanitarian action, post conflict reconstruction, girls’ education, UN management, food security, international organizations, and leadership. She has been honored by twelve universities in four countries with honorary degrees and by the Republics of Italy and Ireland. She has received multiple awards for her work to improve the lives of children, for her management of internal reform processes, and for her advocacy for women and girls. She was appointed to senior positions by three UN secretaries general and five US presidents.

Currently, Bertini leads the Rockefeller Foundation efforts to combat the global food crises. She is the board chair of the GOP Global Crop Diversity Trust. She is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Bertini is also a board member of the Central New York Community Trust. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Public Administration and the International Union of Food Science and Technology, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Germán Bollero
Dean, College of ACES, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Germán Bollero brings more than a decade of administrative leadership to the role, having served as associate dean for research and head of the Department of Crop Sciences. More importantly, he has been a member of the ACES family for nearly 30 years.

Bollero is a native of Rosario, Argentina. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the National University of Rosario, Argentina, he came to the University of Illinois to continue his education. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Department of Agronomy (now crop sciences), and continued on as a postdoctoral research associate and senior research specialist in agriculture. In 1998, he joined the crop sciences faculty as assistant professor of biometry and cropping systems. Bollero then led the department as head from 2009 to 2018. In 2018, he became associate dean for research and director of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, investing in convergent research collaborations across the college and campus.

Bollero is internationally recognized for his scholarship in biometry and cropping systems. His teaching, service, and research contributions have placed him among an elite handful of truly outstanding faculty members. He has been included on the Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students dozens of times. Among other recognitions, he has received several College of ACES awards, was selected as a member of the ACES Academy of Teaching Excellence, and was in the first class of the ACES Global Connect program. Dr. Bollero is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America and the Agronomy Society of America.

Rebecca Carlisle Doyle
Co-Owner and Farmer, Hickory Grove Pork Farms & Doyle Associates, The Context Network

Becky Doyle is a lifetime Illinois farm partner with deep pork production background and experience with most Midwest cropping and marketing systems. She is a proven organizational leader and administrator, having served as the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Director of Resource Development for the UN World Food Programme. While leading those organizations, Ms. Doyle developed strategies and policies – and built teams to implement them that capitalized on opportunities and dealt effectively with challenges. For the past decade, Ms. Doyle has been providing her networks, insights, strategies, and facilitation as a consultant for agriculture organizations/businesses and natural resource protection organizations. In addition to her livestock and crop input work, she strives to optimize understanding of and rationalize actions around climate change, carbon sequestration, regenerative ag, soil health and cover crops. In addition to agriculture commodity groups, she has worked with the Soil Health Institute, American Farmland Trust, The Nature Conservancy, National Resources Defense Council, Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Her 25-year involvement in the Farm Foundation Round Table has provided a national network of producers, agribusinesses and natural resource protection organizations as well as production- serving and consumer-facing companies. She also serves her land grant alma mater as representative to the Council on Agriculture Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) and the college’s alumni board. Becky has a BS in Ag Communications and MS in Extension Education from the University of Illinois and continuing education certificates from Washington University and Harvard University.

Corey Flournoy
Principal/Consultant, Creative Outreach Consulting, LLC

Corey Flournoy brings 30+ years of experience and recognized leadership in diversity and inclusion programming, corporate-wide change management, strategy development, executive coaching and employee engagement for multinational corporations, nonprofits and educational institutions.

Corey is the co-founder and Principal of Creative Outreach Consulting, an enterprise that delivers a 360-degree holistic approach to individual and organizational transformative change through proven practices, programs and processes achieved with a shared commitment for results. Creative Outreach provides strategy development, leadership development, personal coaching,

presentations, and diversity, equity and inclusion services to clients globally ranging from corporations like Sony Music Entertainment, Les Mills, Lands’ End and numerous universities and non-profit organizations. As part of his new venture, one of Corey’s primary clients is the National FFA, where he serves as the Executive in Residence for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to help us advance their strategy, initiatives and efforts at national, state, and chapter level.

Corey has been honored in Crain’s Chicago Business 2022 Notable Black Leaders and Executives, as one of North America’s Most Influential D&I Leaders – 2020 by Hive Learning, and was included in the 2020 PerformanceIN List of The Top 50 Industry Players.

Corey’s previous experience in industry included being the VP, People & Culture
Development overseeing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and learning and development at Aurora, the company delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. Corey was also Groupon’s first Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity. Corey is a Certified Professional Diversity Coach through CoachDiversity Institute, accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He has taught as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, teaching a graduate-level course on leading global change.

Notably, in the ag industry, many people might be familiar with his name as Corey served as the National FFA Organization’s first African-American and urban president in the history of the organization.

Lori Healey
Senior Vice President, OPC Implementation Lead, Obama Foundation

Lori Healey manages the construction and operations of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Hired by the Obama Foundation, she began in this role in December 2020. Prior to joining the Obama Foundation, Healey served as president of a new Chicago regional business unit for Clayco, a real estate development, architecture, engineering and construction firm. She was previously the Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), owner of McCormick Place, the nation’s largest convention center and Navy Pier, Illinois top-visited tourist destination and the 1,258 room Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. In her role as CEO, Ms. Healey oversaw the development of the McCormick Collection which includes a 10,000 seat event center and a 1,206 room Marriott Marquis Headquarters Hotel, scheduled for completion in 2017. Prior to joining the MPEA, Ms. Healey served as the Chief Executive Officer of Tur Partners LLC (“Tur”) and also served as Principal in Charge of the Development Group for the John Buck Company. Ms. Healey coordinated the organizational and planning activities for the NATO Summit in Chicago in 2012, acting as Director of the NATO Host Committee as an executive “on loan,” overseeing planning, fundraising and implementation of the Summit and in 2009, was appointed as President of Chicago 2016, where she was responsible for leading Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Ms. Healey held several senior leadership positions for the City of Chicago under the administration of Mayor Richard M. Daley, most recently acting as Mayor Daley’s Chief of Staff. She earlier served as Commissioner of the City’s Department of Planning and Development.

Terry Hinds
Chief New Markets & Assurance Officer, Compeer Financial

Terry L. Hinds is Chief Asset Quality & Assurance Officer for Compeer Financial, a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. Compeer Financial is a $18.5 billion organization providing loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Previously, Terry was Chief Risk Officer responsible for the overall risk management of the company including: risk policy, coordination of risk philosophy, risk asset and acquired property management, the association’s appraisal function, and internal audit in coordination with the board’s Audit & Finance Committee. Prior to being named Chief Risk officer he lead efforts in Capital Markets, Agribusiness, Trade Credit, Leasing, ProPartners, Investments, Commercial Bank and other Partner Purchases as well as the association’s legislative affairs activities. Terry’s family is deeply rooted in Illinois agriculture and still owns and operates the first Illinois farm the family purchased in 1848. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in Agricultural Economics and University of Wisconsin’s Graduate School of Banking. He has spent more than 39 years in various positions within the Farm Credit System including AgriBank, Farm Credit Bank of St. Louis and several Illinois Farm Credit associations.

Jan Kostner
Senior Vice President, Membership & Corporate Relations, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

Jan has a wealth of experience in both the private and public sectors. She began her career at Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications, where she served many corporate clients. In government, Jan was the longest-serving Director of Tourism for the State of Illinois. She later was part of the team that created the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. Most recently, Jan served as Director of Marketing at the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Working in public affairs, for politicians, government, corporations, arts, tourist destinations, higher education and currently for a business association, Jan has honed her strategic planning skills. Whether it’s planning a visit for foreign officials, or helping organizations extend their visibility, she’s used her experiences to create successful and award-winning programs and events. A few of her clients included Target, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Terra Foundation, and Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau. Jan has a passion for etiquette, travel, and entertaining. She is a graduate of New England College with a BA in Communications and holds a certificate in Social Media Marketing from DePaul University

Janet Mathis
Founding Principal and CEO, The Development Consortium

Janet Mathis is a founding Principal in The Development Consortium, an economic development and real estate consulting firm created in 2006, and is currently the firm’s CEO. Until May 2017, Mathis also was the President and CEO of Renew Moline. Mathis is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Economic Development Association (IEDA), the state association of economic development professionals, and received the organization’s highest award, Distinguished Developer of the Year in 2013. She was named an Edgar Fellow in 2014, and was the recipient of Western Illinois University – Quad Cities’ 2013 Award of Excellence for best exemplifying the four pillars of the university. Mathis is currently on the Board of Directors of the River Bend Foodbank; is President of the Board of Directors for the Center for Youth and Family Solutions; and is on the Board of Food and Agricultural Roadmap (FARM) Illinois. Mathis has a bachelors of science degree in agricultural industries from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with continuing studies in crisis communications from Illinois State University; economic development from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville; and brownfields redevelopment from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Todd Price
Vice President – Innovation and Education Campus, Farm Foundation

Todd Price came to Farm Foundation after two decades of leadership in the agricultural education field. This included time at Living History Farms, The Museums at Prophetstown, and Wagner Farm as founding director. Prior to joining Farm Foundation, Todd was superintendent with the Glenview Park District. Todd was raised on his family’s Iowa grain and livestock farm. Today, he is part-owner of the farm, which was established in 1853. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson College, and he is a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation program. Todd volunteers with the Glenview 4-H club and local FFA chapter and is on the board of directors for Cook County Farm Bureau.

Andrew Selck
Partner, Food and Agriculture, Kearney

Andrew Selck is a member of EY’s Global Agribusiness Center and leads its focus on Digital Agriculture. He works with various agribusiness clients on emerging trends and technologies impacting the industry and has authored numerous whitepapers and spoken at industry conferences on the topic of Digital Agriculture and its transformative effects. Andrew has almost 15 years of experience focusing in the Agribusiness and Life Sciences sectors. He has an MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and is a Licensed CPA in Illinois.

Tom Welge
President and CEO, Gilster-Mary Lee Corp

Tom Welge serves as President & CEO of Gilster-Mary Lee Corp, a store brand and food service manufacturer headquartered in southern Illinois. He is the 4^th generation of the family working in the 127 year old business. Prior to assuming his current role in 2020, he worked in sales, technical services, and served as the organization’s General Counsel. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Buena Vista National Bank in Chester, IL, a board member of the Illinois Manufacturers Association (IMA) and the SI-NOW! Foundation (a regional economic development organization), and an advisory director of Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial. He is also President of the St. Nicholas Brewing Co. which operates 3 brewpubs in southern Illinois. Tom holds a BA in Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL and a JD from Washington University in St. Louis.

Board Emeritus

Robert Easter
President Emeritus, University of Illinois
Board Emeritus, Illinois Agri-Food Alliance

Robert A. Easter is President Emeritus of the University of Illinois after serving as the University’s 19th president from 2012-2015. Before becoming president, Easter spent his entire, nearly 40-year career as a senior administrator and faculty member on the university’s Urbana-Champaign campus, where he earned his doctorate in animal science in 1976. He was interim chancellor from 2009-2011, serving as chief executive officer of the 42,000-student campus, and also served as interim provost and interim vice chancellor for research. From 2002-2009, he was dean of the nationally ranked College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Before that, he served as head of the Department of Animal Sciences, where he has been a faculty member since 1976. An expert in livestock feeding, Easter has co-authored a book on livestock production and has written more than 90 peer-reviewed articles, 11 book chapters, and numerous papers for conferences and industry publications. He also has spoken to audiences in the United States and 30 foreign countries on livestock feeding. In 2006, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD), and was appointed as chair of BIFAD in 2007. He also is a fellow of the American Society of Animal Science and a member of Farm Foundation Roundtable and serves on the board of 1^st Farm Credit Services, Agrible, and the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation. Easter earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural education in 1970 and a master’s degree in animal nutrition in 1972, both from Texas A&M University. He completed a doctorate in animal science at the University of Illinois in 1976 and immediately joined the Animal Science Department as an assistant professor of swine nutrition and management. He presently holds the rank of Professor Emeritus. Easter served as the inaugural Board Chair of the Illinois Agri-Food Alliance from 2015 to 2021, leading the development of the Food and Agriculture RoadMap for Illinois (FARM IL) strategic plan and the creation of the ILAFA organization. Easter was bestowed the role of inaugural Board Emeritus in March 2021.

Former Board Members

Robert A. Easter PhD
President Emeritus, University of Illinois
Board Chair (6/2017 – 4/2021)

Theresa E. Mintle
Co-Founder, FYS Ventures, LLC; Former Interim Vice Chancellor for Public and Government Affairs University of Illinois at Chicago
Board Vice-Chair (6/2017 – 9/2022)

Shari Rogge-Fidler
President and CEO, Farm Foundation
Board Vice Chair (3/2022-1/2024)

Robin L. Brown
Vice President, Government and External Affairs, Ingredion Incorporated
Director (6/2017 – 4/2018)

Jered Hooker
Former District Director, Illinois Soybean Association
Director (6/2017 – 8/2018)

Dave Lehman
Managing Director, Commodity Research and Product Development, CME Group; Retired
Director (6/2017 – 12/2018)

Tom Kentner
Former District Director, Illinois Soybean Association
Director (8/2018 – 9/2019)

Rob Dongoski
Partner, Global Agribusiness Leader, Ernst & Young
Director (6/2017 – 3/2021)

Kim Kidwell
Associate Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Former Dean, College of ACES, University of Illinois
Director (6/2017 – 9/2021)

Karen Lehman
Director, Fresh Taste
Director (6/2017 – 9/2021)

John Lumpe
Chief Executive Officer, Illinois Soybean Association
Director (8/2018 – 9/2022)

Ertharin Cousin
Co-Founder & CEO, Food Systems for the Future Institute; Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
Director (9/2021 – 5/2023)

Tim Andriesen
Managing Director, Agricultural Sales, Marex
Director (12/2018-9/2023)

Michael Davidson
Senior Director of Community Impact, Chicago Community Trust
Director (6/2017-9/2023)

Lee Strom
Partner, Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund
Director (11/2017-9/2023)

Shelby Parchman
Chief Executive Officer, Good Food Catalyst
Director (3/2022-2/2024)