Agriculture and Banking Summit
We regret to inform you that the 2020 Summit has been canceled.
It is not easy to make a profit as a farmer or rancher in 2020. For the past few years, farmers have faced tight conditions that now impact the financial industry as farmers borrow more funds and some may be unable to repay.
This summit is geared at preparing for tough financial times on the farm and ranch.
Topics discussed will include the current state of the markets, the current state of agricultural financial institutions, how farmers and banks assess financial indicators, and how we may learn from agriculture’s experience in the 1980’s financial hardship.
Schedule of Events
| 8:00 – 8:45 | Registration |
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Welcome and Introductions – W.R. Robbins |
| 9:30 – 10:30 | Dr. Hoenig |
| 10:40 – 11:30 | Mr. Jacobs |
| 11:40 – 12:30 | Dr. Deines – State of the Banking Industry, Reflections on the ’80s |
| 12:30 – 1:15 | Ms. Hawkins, KDFA, Beginning Farmer Program |
| Lunch | Sponsored by the High Plains Farm Credit Association |
| 1:30 – 3:00 | Ms. Kaminski, moderator - Panel Discussion – Working with distressed borrowers, and other issues. |
| 3:15 – 4:00 | Mr. Gottschalk |
Speakers
Dr. K. Alan Deines
Alan Deines is the first director for the Robbins Banking Institute at Fort Hays State University.
Alan has more than 37 years of banking experience and has worked with hundreds of banks from Wyoming to Illinois and from South Dakota to Oklahoma, dealing with regulatory problems, management issues, mergers, acquisitions, and technology issues.
Alan’s experience has also included time in Siberia and eastern Russia advising on issues related to Russia's economic collapse in the 1990s, and later as an advisor in the Republic of Georgia, Yemen and Iraq.
As the director of the Robbins Banking Institute, Alan shapes and implements the Institute’s curriculum and teaches a variety of banking courses.
Mr. Andy Gottschalk
Andy has been a livestock market analyst and futures broker for the past 45 years, providing both long term and short term fundamental, technical market analysis and risk management services to clientele ranging from individual producers to many of the world’s leading agribusiness and food companies. His clientele comprises the full spectrum of the beef and food industry. He is a frequent speaker at various beef industry “Situation & Outlook” and “Risk Management” forums throughout the U.S. He is a frequent presenter at Federal Reserve Bank Agricultural Outlook Sessions. He is also a direct participant in agriculture, being the second generation of his family involved in beef cattle and grain production.
Ms. Bonnie Hawkins
Bonnie is a native of Clay Center, Kansas and received training through Barton County Community College. She started working for the Kansas Development Finance Authority in 2001. Bonnie has served as the Beginning Farmer Program Administrator for the Authority since 2001, and during that period has assisted hundreds of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers across the State to obtain below-market, tax-exempt loans primarily facilitated through Kansas banks.
Bonnie additionally serves as Executive Assistant to KDFA’s President and Executive Director and has worked at the Silver Lake Fire Department for 21 years handling the bookkeeping and other miscellaneous responsibilities for the Department.
Dr. Thomas Hoenig
Thomas Hoenig is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Prior to joining the Mercatus Center, Dr. Hoenig served as Vice Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from 2012 until 2018. In that capacity, he oversaw FDIC operations and policy related to deposit insurance pricing, bank supervision, and financial stability and bank resolution. He served as Director of NeighborWorks America, which was established by Congress in 1978 to address housing issues nationwide. He also served as a member of the International Association of Deposit Insurers’ board from 2012 to 2017, and as the President and Chairman from October 2015 to October 2017. Previously, Dr. Hoenig was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and a member of the Federal Reserve System's Federal Open Market Committee from 1991 to 2011. Dr. Hoenig was with the Federal Reserve for 38 years, beginning as an economist and then as a senior officer in banking supervision. As President and Chief Executive Officer, he led the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City during the Great Recession and the banking crisis of 2008 and 2009. During his time with the Federal Reserve, Dr. Hoenig chaired several key committees including the Conference of Presidents, the Committee on Bank Supervision, Regulation and Legislation, and the Information Technology Oversight Committee. Also, during his tenure, Dr. Hoenig organized and hosted the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Jackson Hole economic symposium for global central bankers. Dr. Hoenig is from Fort Madison, Iowa and received a doctorate in economics from Iowa State University.
Mr. Jesse Jacobs
Mr. Jesse Jacobs has been an Instructor of Economics at Fort Hays State University since 2012. He teaches principles of economics, intermediate microeconomics, and current economic issues. Mr. Jacobs's career spans 20+ years with industry experience in aviation, utility distribution, and agriculture. His focus has been on market research, pricing, forecasting, and process improvement. He is active in the National Association of Business Economists and is the past Chair of the Business Aviation Committee for The Transportation Research Board. He is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt and Certified Business Economist (CBE). He holds an MBA and BBA in Economics from Fort Hays State University and is working towards his doctoral degree from Creighton University.
Ms. Danielle Kaminski
Danielle Kaminski is an instructor in the Department of Agriculture at Fort Hays State University. She primarily teaches courses related to farm management and marketing as her research concentrates on agricultural labor and consumer choice behavior. While at Michigan State University she worked with extension agents providing labor related consultations to dairy farms.
Danielle also serves as one of the co-advisors for the FHSU Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter.
Lender / Producer Panel
Mr. Tim Benoit
Tim Benoit owns and operates a diversified crop and cow/calf operation in Damar, Kansas. The operation consists of dry-land wheat, milo, and corn grain crops. He also grows hay for their cow/calf operation in Graham and Rooks counties. Tim and his wife Brenda have five children, two of which are involved in the farm and cattle operation.
Tim has served on the High Plains Farm Credit Board of Directors since 2008. He has utilized the experience he has gained to help the institution continue to provide strong support to its borrower base. He is also very active within his community where he serves on the local volunteer fire board, recreation board and community association committee. Tim is also a proud Fort Hays State University graduate.
Mr. Bill Came
I am President of Came Farms, Inc. which I own and operate with my wife Laurie, Joyce Came (mom) and Darcy Bradley (sister). We are a no-till farm north-west of Salina and farm in Saline and Ottawa counties. The crops we grow consist of wheat, corn, milo, soybeans and double crop milo and double crop soybeans. We also have a cow-calf operation. After high school, I attended Kansas State, majoring in Agricultural Economics for one year before returning to the family farm in 1991. In 2010 I completed the MAST program offered by Kansas State. In 2013 I completed the Ranching for Profit School.
Mr. Kevin Moeder
Kevin Moeder is the SVP, Western KS Senior Ag Lender for Farmers Bank & Trust. He received his B.S. in Ag/Business from FHSU in 1982. He later graduated from the Colorado School of Banking and the KBA BLOK (Bank Leaders of Kansas) Program. Kevin began his banking career as a teller in 1981 with Farmers & Merchants State Bank in LaCrosse. In 1986 he started working for Farmers Bank & Trust, and has since worked his way up into the SVP position he holds currently. Throughout his almost forty year banking career, Kevin has served on several bank committees including Strategic Planning and various loan committees. Kevin has also served on several local boards and committees, including several terms as Chairman, including the FHSU Alumni Finance Committee, Golden Belt Community Foundation and others.
Ms. Kathy Schwerdtfager
Kathy Schwerdtfager is currently the Chief Credit Officer of The Bank of Tescott. Prior to this, Kathy was an Ag/Commercial Loan Officer and Senior Vice President for the bank. She serves on the bank’s Board of Directors, Loan, ALCO and Auditing Committees. Kathy has been in banking for over 23 years and has been at The Bank of Tescott the past ten years. She earned a bachelor’s degree from McPherson College in Finance and a master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University, along with a certificate in Financial Therapy. A 2011 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, she currently serves on GSBC’s faculty. Kathy is also a 2007 graduate of the Bank Leaders of Kansas program and past President of YBOK (Young Bank Officers of Kansas).
Mr. Clay Scott
Clay Scott owns and operates West Acres Grain, an irrigated and dryland farm in SW KS, with his wife Nancy raising wheat, corn, cattle, and boys. Active in serving the community, Clay serves on boards for Skyland Grain, SwKS Groundwater District, Ulysses School Board, and as a Trustee with FHSU Foundation.
Mr. Roger Vanlandingham
Roger was named Chief Credit Officer in July 2016. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President of Credit from 2000-2016. Roger began his career with Farm Credit as a FICB Trainee in 1984 after graduating from Fort Hays State University with a degree in Agri-Business. His lending career began as a loan officer for the PCA of South Central Kansas, the pre-curser to High Plains Farm Credit, in Dodge City. After a few years, he moved to the Central Kansas area where he served in various lending and management roles for Farm Credit. Going to work for High Plains Farm Credit in 2000 presented an opportunity to come full circle in his banking career as he was back to the Association he originally started in.
Roger grew up in the South Central Kansas region and his career has allowed him the opportunity to still call it home today. His wife, Mary, also grew up in the area; they have two grown daughters, Lauren and Sarah. In his spare time, he enjoys farming, ranching, and spending time with his family.
Sponsors
