Check out our latest tidbits and news for the officers, committee chairs, members of the board of directors, and the general membership of the Farm Financial Standards Council. (Download in PDF form.)
New Membership Directory
A new FFSC Membership Directory has now been produced and distributed to all active FFSC Members. If you did not get one in your e-mail box, let me know and I’ll happily send you a replacement. Total membership has climbed to 182.
We’d Like to See Your Face
It’s always great to know who you are communicating with and an easy way to make that happen with your Council Colleagues is to send us a head-and-shoulders photo of yourself and we’ll add it to the directory. Color jpgs work best, of course. Just send along something you have — does not have to be formal or in a business suit or dress.
Kent Meister is doing well
A past FFSC President and our current CFO, Kent suffered a stroke in mid-January andafter many weeks in a hospital in hometown Bloomington, IL is now recovering and receiving therapy at home. Fortunately, his wife, Karen, retired recently so she is available to assist him in getting around the house. He has regained dexterity in both hands and is now doing ‘some tax work’ to stay busy. He is up and functioning completely in his CFO capacity. As soon as he is able to get in and out of their personal vehicle he will go to continued therapy sessions. The two are looking forward to seeing all their friends at the July meeting in nearby Champaign.
Of the get-well gift sent by the Council, Karen writes: Thank you for the rubber tree plant. It is a very nice plant and looks great in our home now that we have been able to come home.
Upcoming Trade Shows
The Council will be present with a display at the annual NFRBMEA Conference which will be held June 10 – 14 in Harrisburg, PA; the AICPA Conference which will be in Las Vegas in July, and the ABA’s National Agricultural Bankers Association conference in Omaha November 11-14. If you are going to be attending any of these events and can spend some time assisting in managing the FFSC display, please let me know.
Annual Conference Coming July 25 – 27
This year’s FFSC Annual Conference will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cham- paign, IL July 25 – 27 and ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. The final agenda along with registration information will be coming out right around April 1 (no joke!!). The agenda will follow that from previous years….
• Wednesday afternoon (July 25) Committee Meetings — These are open to anyone wishing to participate with NO OBLIGATIONS. What we really want are your ideas. That evening we will have a welcoming reception and barbecue. This is open to all who attend including spouses, significant others and family members who just happen to be traveling with you.
• Thursday (July 26) — Speakers throughout the day with enough programming to qualify for 6 hours of professional CE. (The Council is a registered CPA education provider and certificates of attendance will provided to all who request them. An evening activity is in the works.
• Friday (July 27) — Committee reports and the annual business meeting and election of officers and directors. We will be electing two directors for three-year terms and a secretary/treasurer who will then serve in the chairs to advance to vice president and president of the Council. IF YOU WANT TO BE NOMINATED let us know. The Nominating Committee will be meeting soon to develop the slate for election. Optional afternoon activities are being developed but will likely include a visit to a local grain farm and elevator.
There will PLENTY TO DO in the area if you want to consider bringing family for a bit of a vacation….at the top of the list should be the Abraham Lincoln Library in Springfield….AWESOME is the only word we know of to describe the experience there and it is for the entire family. We will include links to the local Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website with the registration information.
Like Us On Facebook
The Council is expanding its presence on Social Media and has a Facebook Page…. please visit us…just type in Farm Financial Standards Council, Like us and help us get this train moving. We’re also looking for members who have experience working with Twitter… please contact David Olsen, co-chair of the Marketing Committee, if you want to lend a hand and offer us some advice. We are also on LinkedIn. But we need your involvement to help us grow our networks.
Committee Co-Chairs (Contact information is in the directory)
Technical Committee
Jeff Bushey, Nietzke & Faupel, PC
Alan Miller, Purdue University (retired)
Marketing Committee
Brenda Duckworth, AgriVision Farm Management
David Olsen, Agrifamily Consulting, Inc.
Finance Committee
Scotty Elston, AgTexas Farm Credit Services
D. Mark Compton, Compton Accounting
Membership Committee
Grace Richardson, Freed Maxick CPAs
Thomas Groppel, Cedar Ridge Farm
That wraps it up for now… Keep an eye out for information coming on the July meeting….and start looking at things to do and see on the way to and from Champaign….make it a family event and bring ’em all.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
Carroll Merry
Administrator, FFSC
cmerry@countryside-marketing.com
262-253-6902
