December 16, 2008… Saint Louis, Missouri… The Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) has confirmed Johnny Dodson from Halls, Tennessee, as President, and John Hoffman from Waterloo, Iowa, as Chairman. Board members also elected Rob Joslin from Sidney, Ohio, to serve as First Vice President, an office that places Joslin in line to be ASA President next year. Also elected were Ron Kindred from Atlanta, Illinois, as Secretary, and Steve Wellman from Syracuse, Nebraska, as Treasurer. Four Vice Presidents also were elected: Randy Mann from Auburn, Kentucky; Alan Kemper from Lafayette, Indiana; Ray Gaesser from Corning, Iowa; and Joe Steiner from Mason, Ohio. These soybean producer-leaders form the nine-member ASA Executive Committee. Elections were held on Thursday, Dec. 11, during ASA’s winter Board of Director’s meeting in Saint Louis.

"The outlook for both the soybean industry and the American Soybean Association is bright," Dodson said. "We are a grassroots agricultural organization and one of the keys to our success is membership. The leadership of ASA gets direction from our membership and we encourage our members to continue to participate in ASA and their state affiliates."

"For over 88 years, the American Soybean Association has been a leader in the U.S. soybean industry and soybean farm and trade policy," said ASA First Vice President Rob Joslin. "As chairman of ASA’s Public Affairs committee, I’m looking forward to working with ASA leaders to continue our domestic and international policy work. Among the issues that we will need to work on in the coming year are implementation of the Farm Bill, climate change legislation and free trade agreements."

Following the elections, committee assignments were announced. Public Affairs Committee Chairman Rob Joslin is joined by committee members Alan Kemper (IN), Dan Beenken (IA), Charles Cannatella (LA), Kelly Forck (MO), Ray Gaesser (IA), Ted Glaub (AR), Leo Guilbeault (Canada), Ron Kindred (IL), Joe Layton (M-A), Robert Ross (OK), Curt Sindergard (IA), Lawrence Sukalski (MN), Jack Trumbo (KY) and Steve Wellman (NE).

The Membership Services & Corporate Relations committee Chairman is Joe Steiner, with committee members Ron Bunjer (MN), Mark Detweiler (GA/FL), M.D. Floyd (SC), Mark Jackson (IA), Joseph Mills (AL), David Poppens (SD), Mike Skinner (TX), Jeff Sollars (OH), Warren Stemme (MO), Andy Welden (MI), Wyatt Whitford (NC) and Bob Worth (MN).

Randy Mann was appointed Chairman of the Trade Policy & International Affairs Committee. Committee members are Dennis Bogaards (IA), Mike Cunningham (IL), John Freeman (AR), Scott Fritz (IN), Tim Goodenough (WI), Bob Henry (KS), Kevin Hoyer (WI), Dennis Jaeger (SD), Jason Nelson (ND), Jim Miller (NE), Ron Moore (IL), Danny Murphy (MS), Barb Overlie (MN), Lance Peterson (MN) and Charles Skalsky (VA).

Steve Wellman was appointed Chairman of the Finance Committee, with Ray Gaesser (IA), Ted Glaub (AR), Bob Henry (KS) and Joe Layton (M-A), serving as committee members.

The Board welcomed nine new members who are Jim Miller (NE), Dave Poppens (SD), Lance Peterson (MN), Lawrence Sukalski (MN), Ron Bunjer (MN), John Freeman (AR), Jeff Sollars (OH), Warren Stemme (MO) and Jason Nelson (ND).

ASA also recognized retiring directors Bob Rikli (NE), Bob Metz (SD), Gary Joachim (MN), Ed Hegland (MN), Greg Devries (Canada), Mark Watkins (OH), Neal Bredehoeft (MO) and Rick Ostlie (ND).

ASA is a national, not-for-profit, grassroots membership organization that develops and implements policies to increase the profitability of its members and the entire soybean industry.

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Johnny Dodson, ASA President, 731-286-2268, johnnydodson@bellsouth.net
Rob Joslin, ASA First Vice President, 937-492-8440, rob@wrjoslin.com
Bob Callanan, Communications Director, (314) 576-1770, bcallanan@soy.org
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