Tell us a little about yourself.
Born and raised in Amery and still live in my hometown. I attended UW-River Falls for agricultural business and agricultural marketing communications. I work as an agriculture and commercial loan officer for Pillar Bank covering northwest Wisconsin. I enjoy being outdoors, whether that is walking my dog Arya at Interstate Park, fishing, kayaking or camping.
What do you enjoy most about your career in agriculture?
I enjoy having customers with a wide variety of farms. From dairy goat farmers to newly installed robotic dairies to monarch habitat growers to large cash grain operators, I get to work with it all.
What is a success in your agriculture career that you are most proud of?
Helping a family achieve their dream of owning and operating a farm.
What are some of the challenges you face in your career and how do you handle them?
Agriculture is cyclical and price fluctuations are difficult for everyone. You handle them through smart business practices and understanding financial positions.
What is one agriculture experience that has defined you and why?
Serving as a Wisconsin State FFA Officer was a great experience. It taught me a lot about education, public speaking, public relations and agriculture.
What is a Farm Bureau experience that you are most proud of and why?
Making it to the Final Four for the Discussion Meet my first year competing. It taught me that I know more about agriculture than I perceived!
What is something that most Farm Bureau members would not know about you?
One of my hobbies with my family is making maple syrup.
Why are you proud to be a Farm Bureau member?
Farm Bureau continuously shows its investment in members through opportunities to not only grow personally and professionally but also push agriculture into a bright future.
What advice do you have for new Farm Bureau members or those looking to get more involved?
Say “yes” even if the opportunity is new or intimidates you. The growth you’ll see is worth it. Saying “yes” is often the hardest part.
Column originally appeared in the June | July 2023 Rural Route.
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