Board of Directors
- Regional Office Team
- Senior Management
- Regional Vice Presidents
- Board of Directors
- Commercial Lending
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Scott Bidner
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Kent Brinkmann
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Michael Donohoe
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David Haase
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Joe Pickrell
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Evan Schuette
Steve Hettinger
Board Chair
Steve has been farming for 30 years and currently farms 2,500 acres of corn, soybeans and seed production with his two brothers. He is a graduate of Parkland College with a degree in Agriculture. Steve has served on the Premier Cooperative Elevator Board for the past 25 years and recently resigned as the Crittenden Township Supervisor after serving for 24 years. Steve and his wife have four children and reside in Champaign County.
Adam Brown
Board Vice Chair & Compensation Committee Chair
Adam farms 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans outside of Decatur. He is a graduate of UIS with a Masters of Public Administration, University of Ilinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Farm/Financial Management and Richland Community College. Adam currently serves on the USDA's Advisory Committee for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, Macon County Farm Bureau Board as Treasurer and on the Macon County Farmland Assessment Committee. He is also a member of Illini Congregational Church and a volunteer fireman for the Warrensburg Fire Department. Adam and his wife, Stephanie, are raising three young children (Elise, Kenton, and Derek).
David Allspach
Audit Committee Vice Chair
David is an eighth-generation grain and livestock farmer from Mt. Pulaski, IL. He received his bachelor's degree in Agribusiness, Farm, and Financial Management from the University of Illinois in 2008. Upon graduating, David started his career with Monsanto Company as an Account Manager for their National Seed Brands in South Central Wisconsin, then made the decision to return to his family farm in late 2010 to begin his farming career full-time. Aside from serving on Farm Credit Illinois’ board of directors, David also serves as a board member for the Logan County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Lake Fork Special Drainage District. He and his wife, Kaitlin, reside near their family farm in Mt. Pulaski.
Scott Bidner
Scott and his family farm 1600 acres of corn and soybean in Champaign County. Scott graduated from University of Illinois in 1985. He joined the staff of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board and Illinois Corn Growers Association as the first Director of Market Development in 1985. He was named Executive Director in 1987. Scott moved to Washington, DC in 1990 to work in the Office of International Activities, U.S. EPA. In that position he traveled and worked as a liaison with a number of federal agencies. In 1995 he returned home to the family farm. Scott served as President of the Champaign County Farm Bureau, Legislative Chair, ILFB State and Local Government Resolutions Chair. He has been active in his church, township, local boards and committees, and facilitated a UI Political Dialogue class for 11 years. He has three children, Alexandra works with the University of Texas Football team academics, Natalie is a Program Manager with the World Food Prize, Son Nate works in robotics for the Army Corp of Engineers, and farms with Scott.
Marc Bremer
Risk Committee Chair
Marc farms 1,500 acres of corn and soybeans and raises Angus Seed stock and back grounds calves. He graduated from WyoTech with a degree in Diesel Technology, Refrigeration, Hydraulics, Transmission, Air Conditioning and Electronic Engine Management. Marc currently serves on Massac County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Massac County Soil and Water Board of Directors. He is a 2019 member of the German American Transatlantic Direct Marketing Round Table and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau Conservation and Natural Resource Strength Advisory Team. Marc is a 2016 Graduate of the Illinois Agriculture Leadership Program, served as Illinois Farm Bureau District 18 Young Leader Representative for four years and Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader State Chairman in 2017. He is also a member of Fellowship Baptist Church.
Michael Donohoe
Michael is a Professor and Head of the Department of Accountancy at the Gies College of Business, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research explores the effects of complex financial arrangements on corporate tax compliance and risk management. His in-residence and online instruction on business entity taxation has been recognized with several prominent awards, including Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professor by Poets&Quants, Outstanding Educator by the Illinois CPA Society, and Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by the University of Illinois. Michael is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified in Financial Forensics. He earned his bachelor’s degree and PhD in accounting from the University of Florida, and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of North Florida. Michael resides in Champaign with his wife, Emily, and son, Nicholas.
Wes Durbin
Governance Committee Vice Chair
Wes and his wife, Sara, have a fifth generation livestock and grain farm in rural Shelbyville. They have two daughters, Audrey and Arianna, and a son, Liam. Wes is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, and is involved in the Shelby County Farm Bureau Young Leaders and Shelby County Pork Producers. He and Sara are members of the Class of 2011 - Cultivating Master Farmers Program. He is also an active member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the Shelbyville Lions Club.
David Haase
David is a corn and soybean farmer in Iroquois County. He received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to farming, David is the president of the Iroquois West School Board, Iroquois County drainage commissioner, and a director for the Illinois Association of Drainage Districts, and Ford-Iroquois Farm Bureau. David and his wife Alissa reside in Gilman with their two children – Sydney and Oliver.
Lisa Helmink
Governance Committee Chair & Compensation Committee Vice Chair
Lisa and her husband, Steve, have three children – Katie, Sam and Nick. They raise corn, soybeans, and livestock in Clinton and Marion counties. Lisa is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in Accounting Lisa works as a Clinic Manager for Clinton County Veterinary Services. Locally, she serves as Treasurer of Breese District 12 Band Boosters and is a member of St. Dominic Catholic Church, Clinton County Farm Bureau, and Kaskaskia Country Beekeeping Club.
Anne Larocca
Audit Committee Chair
Anne is a Senior Account Manager at bswift LLC, in Chicago, Illinois. She is a 2005 graduate of Augustana College with a degree in International Business and Finance along with a 2010 graduate of Roosevelt University with a master’s degree in Accounting. She was appointed to the Board as an outside director in 2021. She currently lives in Lake Zurich, a suburb of Chicago Illinois located in Lake County.
Eric Mosbey
Risk Committee Vice Chair
Eric and his wife Kara have three daughters; Mallory, Ella, and Lucille. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is the general manager of Linconland Agri-Energy, LLC, a corn ethanol facility in Palestine, IL. Eric grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on his family’s farm in Lawrence and Crawford counties. He also serves on the Renewable Fuels Association and Illinois Renewable Fuels Association boards and is a member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Robinson, IL
Joe Pickrell
Joe resides in Buffalo, Illinois with his wife Laura and their two children, Lauren and Ben. He farms with his father and brother in Sangamon, Logan, and Christian Counties. Joe graduated from Illinois State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness. He has served as a leader on many Boards and Committees including, Sangamon County Farm Bureau Director, Illinois Farm Bureau State Young Leader Committee Chair, Sangamon FSA County Commitee, and Tri-City Schools Board of Education. He is a member of Sugar Creek United Methodist Church.
Evan Schuette
Evan Schuette is a graduate of Murray State University with a degree in Agribusiness and Kaskaskia College with a degree in Agribusiness, Plant and Soil Science, Animal Science. He custom raises Cliff Schuette's cow-calf operation of 60 head as well as manages his own operation of 40 cow-calf pairs. Evan is also a salesman for Schuette Seeds. He currently farm 430 acres in Clinton and Marion County consisting of corn, soybeans, and pasture for his beef cow operation.
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What is the makeup of the Board?
Member-owners elect 12 peers from the cooperative’s three regions to the Board. Additionally, two non-stockholder outside directors are appointed by the 12 elected directors.
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What are the primary responsibilities of the Board?
- Provide strategic direction
- Set internal controls and oversee all major functions of the Association
- Oversee activities performed by management
- Establish policies, systems, and processes in support of safe and sound operations
- Hire the CEO and establish a succession plan
- Ensure information and disclosures to member-owners are accurate, understandable, and reliable
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What is the Board's committee structure?
The Board has five committees: executive, compensation, governance, audit, and risk. Each board member serves on one or more committees.
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How do Director elections work?
Elections are held annually to elect a director in each of the three regions, plus five members and three alternates for each region’s nominating committee. The nominating committee reviews candidate interest forms and possible candidates, interviews candidates, and submits a slate of candidates for the director elections starting in July. After the Association’s annual meeting, held in November, ballots are mailed to all voter-stockholders. In mid-December, a teller’s committee meets to tally ballot votes. The term for all newly elected directors begins in January.
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Does FCI's Board have age requirements or term limits?
- Each director serves a four-year term, with no limit on years of service. At the end of each term, Board members must be re-elected or re-appointed.
- There is no minimum age requirement, but once a candidate turns 65 years old (as of the date of that year’s teller’s committee meeting), they are no longer eligible to serve another term on the Board.
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What is the time commitment to be on the Board?
- There usually are seven Board meetings and 9-11 committee meetings per year. The committee and Board meetings are typically held on back-to-back days on the third or fourth Wednesday and Thursday of the month. Meetings are held at the cooperative’s central office in Mahomet. Directors also must prepare for each meeting by reviewing materials provided before the meeting.
- On average, a director attends three to six events outside of Board meetings and other Association meetings per year.
- A new director attends three to five Association-sponsored meetings per year on average, including a new director orientation.
- Board members may also attend optional AgriBank District meetings, national conferences, or director learning opportunities throughout the year.
- Registration fees and expenses are paid by Farm Credit Illinois. The majority of these are held out-of-state and scheduled over a two to three day timeframe.
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Are FCI directors compensated?
Directors receive quarterly retainers and meeting per diems for services related to Farm Credit Illinois Board duties.
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How can a member submit to be a candidate?
FCI member-owners can submit director or nominating committee member candidate interest forms HERE by July 1. Submissions are sent to the respective region’s nominating committee for review following the deadline.
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Want more information on director elections?
For additional information, contact your FCI loan officer, a current or past FCI director, or Darcy Allen at the cooperative’s central office (217-590-2158 or darcy.allen@farmcreditIL.com).
