Agriculture + Lifestyle
GFB Board of Directors representing Georgia agriculture
Posted on February 28, 2022 7:00 PM
As you attend Georgia Farm Bureau in-person meetings this year, you’ll hear new leaders introduced.
In the past two years, Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates have elected six new farmer leaders to GFB’s Board of Directors. Two GFB staff members have new executive positions.
With this many new faces, we wanted to highlight the new and returning members of the Georgia Farm Bureau board.
2022 Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors
Seated, from left: Middle Ga. VP Ralph Caldwell, Heard Co.; North Ga. VP Bernard Sims, Catoosa Co.; 1st VP & South Ga. VP Daniel Johnson, Pierce Co.; GFB President Tom McCall, Elbert Co.; Chief Administrative Officer Jeffrey Harvey; Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Treasurer & GFBMIC Exec. VP David Jolley; Corporate Secretary & Sr. Counsel Jeanna Fennell; and General Counsel Duke Groover; second row, from left: Asst. Corp. Treasurer & Sr. Director of Accounting Rachel Mosely; GFB 4th Dist. Director Skeetter McCorkle, McDuffie Co.; GFB 3rd Dist. Director Nora Goodman, Paulding Co.; GFB 2nd Dist. Director Russ Moon, Madison Co.; GFB Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Melissa Mathis, Monroe Co.; GFB 1st Dist. Director Bill Bryan, Chattooga Co.; GFB YF&R Committee Chairman Walt Pridgen, Coffee Co.; third row, from left: GFB 9th Dist. Director Lucius Adkins, Baker Co.; GFB 10th Dist. Director Lamar Vickers, Berrien Co.; GFB 3rd Dist. Director Brad Marks, Newton Co.; GFB 5th Dist. Directors Matt Bottoms, Pike Co. & Leighton Cooley, Crawford Co.; GFB 1st Dist. Director Wesley Hall, Forsyth Co.; GFB 6th Dist. Director James Malone, Laurens Co.; fourth row, from left: GFB 8th Dist. Director Scotty Raines, Turner Co.; GFB 9th Dist. Director Paul Shirah, Mitchell Co.; GFB 7th Dist. Directors Gary Bell, Evans Co. & Ben Boyd, Screven Co.; GFB 8th Dist. Director Don Wood, Wilcox Co.; GFB 2nd Dist. Director Gilbert Barrett, Habersham Co.; GFB 6th Dist. Director James Emory Tate, Jeff Davis Co.; and GFB 10th Dist. Director David Lee, Bacon Co. (photo by Logan Thomas)
Class of ’20
GFB President Tom McCall and GFB 2nd District Director Russ Moon were elected during the 2020 district election meetings.
McCall and his wife, Jane, traveled extensively across Georgia last year to meet county Farm Bureau staff and leaders at local offices and events. If you haven’t had a chance to meet the McCalls, check out the feature we ran last year at www.gfb.ag/McCallsGFBjourney .
Moon, of Madison County, represents the 14 counties in Northeast Georgia that comprise GFB’s 2nd District. Moon and his family raise chickens and beef cattle, grow small grains and soybeans. He and his wife, Mandy, operate a you-pick strawberry farm. The Moons served on the GFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee in 2007 & 2008. Moon is president of the Madison County Farm Bureau, is a past chairman of the GFB Poultry Advisory Committee and serves as an ex officio member of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commissions. The Moons have three children.
Class of ‘21
At the 2021 GFB convention, the GFB Board of directors gained four new members: Ralph Caldwell was elected GFB Middle Georgia vice president; Gilbert Barrett was elected a GFB 2nd District director; Brad Marks was elected a GFB 3rd District director; and Russ Wilburn was elected a GFB 4th District director.
Caldwell, of Heard County, represents GFB’s Middle Georgia Region, comprised of 56 counties in the mid-part of the state running from Alabama to South Carolina.
He and his wife, Kim, farm with his father, Gwen, raising poultry and cattle while growing corn and soybeans. The couple’s son, Colton (Delayna), assists on the farm when needed.
He has served as a preacher for more than 30 years and has pastored Indian Creek Baptist Church in Bowdon since 2006.
Caldwell has served as a Heard County Farm Bureau (HCFB) director since 1990 and as the HCFB president since 2013. The Caldwells served on the GFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee in 1993 & 1994.
Barrett, of Habersham County, represents GFB’s 2nd District. He and his wife, Donna, raise beef cattle and breeder poultry and grow hay.
Barrett chaired the Habersham County Farm Bureau (HCFB) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee in the early 1990s. The Barretts served on the GFB YF&R Committee in 1993 &1994.
He has served as an HCFB director since the late 1990s, holding numerous HCFB offices through the years, including six years as president, several years as vice president and secretary. Barrett chairs the HCFB Promotion & Education Committee.
The Barretts have three adult children: Johnathan, Will and Allison.
Marks, of Newton County, represents the GFB 3rd District’s 14 counties in Metro Atlanta. Marks raises cattle and operates a custom hay and baleage business with his son, B.J. (Kaci).
Marks and his wife, Terri, have two other adult sons Cody (Kristin) and Orry (Brandi).
Marks chaired the Newton County Young Farmer & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee for several years in the 1980s. The Marks served on the GFB YF&R Committee in 1991 & 1992 and chaired the state committee in 1992. He was NCFB president from 1993 to 2000 and is a NCFB director. He currently chairs the NCFB Legislative Committee.
Wilburn, of Barrow County, represents the GFB 4th District’s 17 counties in Northeast Central Georgia. Wilburn and his wife, Laura, raise beef cattle and hay. He also owns Russ Wilburn Landscapes, Inc., which operates in the Winder and Athens area.
Wilburn has been an active Farm Bureau member since 2004. The Wilburns served on the GFB YF&R Committee in 2016 & 2017 and were the committee vice chairs in 2017. Russ has served on the Barrow County Farm Service Agency Committee the past three years and is a member of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association.