GROWMARK has announced significant changes to its Executive Leadership Team, effective January 2, 2025. The appointments come as the company prepares for the retirement of three long-serving executives and positions itself for future growth and innovation in the agricultural sector.
Key appointments include:
- Brad Drake as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
- Jeff Lynch as Executive Vice President, Retail Business
- Matt Lurkins as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Grain
- Karmy Kays as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
These changes follow the announced retirements of Wade Mittelstadt, Barry Schmidt, and Bill Covey, who collectively contributed over 100 years of experience to the GROWMARK System.
Brad Drake, currently serving as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, will oversee GROWMARK's wholesale business, logistics, and marketing functions in his new role. Jeff Lynch, with extensive experience in Finance, Agronomy, and Grain, will lead GROWMARK's eight retail divisions. Matt Lurkins will combine legal oversight with driving strategy in the grain division, while Karmy Kays will lead the Finance and IT divisions.
The newly appointed executives bring a wealth of experience within GROWMARK, with backgrounds spanning finance, agronomy, legal affairs, and strategic planning. Their diverse skill sets and deep understanding of the cooperative's operations position GROWMARK to build on its foundation of leadership excellence.
As the transition unfolds, the incoming leaders will work closely with their predecessors to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities. This strategic restructuring aims to enhance GROWMARK's ability to deliver exceptional value and experiences to its member-owners in an evolving agricultural landscape.
