As a cooperative, GreenStone is owned by its member stockholders and governed by an elected Board of Directors representing all areas of our territory. Our board meets throughout the year to provide direction and leadership oversight to our organization.
Before a member can be elected to the board, our Nominating Committee identifies, evaluates, and nominates a qualified slate of candidates for stockholder election. The Nominating Committee holds a very pivotal role in determining who provides leadership to our association. If you’re interested in furthering GreenStone’s role as an industry leader for agriculture and our rural communities, serving on the Nominating Committee might be a great opportunity for you!
Who Can Apply for the Nominating Committee?
The main duty of the Nominating Committee is to seek out and identify qualified individuals who are willing to serve as directors and nominating committee members.
To those interested in serving on the Committee, you must be a voting stockholder of the association, as well as have an outstanding loan balance with GreenStone. Those who are Directors, employees, or agents of GreenStone are not eligible to apply for the Nominating Committee. Those who are current candidates for the Board of Directors cannot serve on the Nominating Committee, however those who have served on the Board in the past are invited to apply for a position on the Committee. Finally, you must reside or have a headquarters within the association’s chartered territory. Nominating Committee members are elected for a one-year term with a maximum of serving for three-consecutive years.
What Makes a Good Candidate
The most important quality of a Nominating Committee member is their eagerness to get involved and advance the association forward. By putting the right people in place, GreenStone and our members both experience long-term growth that makes an impact. “Having direct involvement with your members is very important so you keep the direction of our association and Farm Credit Services moving forward”, says current Nominating Committee member William Lyn Uphaus.
Uphaus himself served on GreenStone’s Board of Directors before joining the Nominating Committee to help identify new members of the board. Nathan Girbach, who is a fifth-generation farmer and also currently serving on GreenStone’s Nominating Committee says, “A lot of the time farmers are so wrapped up in their own operations that it’s hard to remember the importance of being an advocate for the industry too. That’s why it’s so important to get out there and have your voice heard for the good of the industry.”
Responsibilities of the Nominating Committee
Elections to be on GreenStone’s Nominating Committee are held annually. Should you be elected to the Committee, meetings take place 1-3 times a year to review and approve the slate of director candidates. Starting in July, the Nominating Committee in a region with open director positions meet to review the expectations for sourcing and selecting candidates. Then in the fall that same Nominating Committee conducts formal interviews with the identified director candidates to determine who will appear on the ballot come May when the Board of Directors election takes place. The balance of the Nominating Committee members meet in December to select candidates to run for the next year’s open Nominating Committee positions.
Why Apply for the Nominating Committee?
“The whole process for me as a voting member has been very educational,” says Calby Garrison, GreenStone Nominating Committee member. “I would encourage anyone who’s looking to make a difference in this organization get involved.”
Are you a GreenStone member who’s passionate about finding the right people to represent our organization? Submit your application for the Nominating Committee below to be considered!
Nominating Committee Profile Form
