The Southern States Cooperative, Inc. board of directors announces that Jeffrey Stroburg, president and CEO since May 2015, will retire from the cooperative effective June 30, 2021.
Steven M. Becraft, the cooperative’s chief operating officer (COO) will assume the president and CEO role on July 1, 2021.
"Jeff brought a depth of cooperative experience and a desire to create a profitable business model to Southern States,” says Curry Roberts, chairman of the board of directors. “His steady leadership style has positioned Southern States for its future success as an ag-retail cooperative.”
The board of directors completed a thorough evaluation of the cooperative’s leadership needs and selected Becraft, who will serve in a combined role as both CEO and COO.
Steve Becraft brings more than 30 years of industry experience in the agronomy and ag-retail markets, with five years in key leadership roles at Southern States, including serving for the last three years as the cooperative’s COO.
“Steve’s external experience, combined with his knowledge of Southern States, our owner-members and patrons, positions him to lead the cooperative to complete the board’s mission to return the cooperative to consistent profitability,” says Roberts.
Becraft said he is grateful for the board’s confidence.
"I look forward to working with our dedicated and hard-working employees to reach our potential as an ag-retail cooperative,” he says.
A leadership transition plan will begin immediately to prepare for Stroburg’s departure at the end of the cooperative’s fiscal year on June 30.
Southern States Cooperative, Richmond, VA, provides a wide range of production inputs, including crop nutrition, seed, livestock feed, animal health supplies, energy solutions, as well as products for the farm and home. The cooperative is owned by more than 200,000 farmer-members, and serves its members and non-member customers through 87 company-owned retail locations, primarily in the states of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky.