Press Releases
GFB Announces 2018 Board of Directors
Posted on Dec 06, 2017 at 0:00 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2017
CONTACT: Jennifer Whittaker, jawhittaker@gfb.org
GFB ANNOUNCES 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MACON, Ga. - Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) voting delegates elected the organization’s 2018 board of directors Dec. 5 during the 80th Annual GFB Convention held on Jekyll Island.
GFB President Gerald Long continues to serve the two-year term GFB members elected him to last December. Long, of Bainbridge, raises cattle and grows peanuts, vegetables, corn, cotton, hay, small grains and timber with his family on their farm near Bainbridge. He has served on the GFB Board of Directors in various roles since 1999 and is a Decatur County Farm Bureau director. In addition to his Farm Bureau leadership, Long is a member of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and is a past treasurer of the Georgia Beef Board.
GFB members in the organization’s North Georgia Region re-elected Bernard Sims of Catoosa County to represent their region on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors for his fourth, three-year term. The GFB North Georgia Region is comprised of 49 counties in the upper third of Georgia. Sims, who ran unopposed, serves as the Catoosa County Farm Bureau president, and grows turf grass, small grains, strawberries and hay and raises cattle.
GFB voting delegates re-designated Robert Fountain Jr. of Emanuel County as the organization’s 1st vice president as he begins serving the third year of his third consecutive three-year term as Middle Georgia vice president. The GFB Middle Georgia Region is comprised of 56 counties in the middle third of Georgia. Fountain has held the position since 2009 and previously held the position from 1997 to 2006. He is the third generation to own his family’s farm located in Emanuel and Johnson counties. He raises cattle, hay, timber, small grains and pecans.
Daniel Johnson of Pierce County is beginning the second year of the three-year term GFB members in the organization’s South Georgia Region elected him to last year. The GFB South Georgia Region is comprised of 53 counties in the lower third of the state. Johnson, who grows tobacco, cotton and peanuts, previously represented the organization’s 10th District on the GFB Board of Directors from 2006-2016 and has served as Pierce County Farm Bureau president for the past 25 years. Johnson chairs the Georgia Tobacco Commission and is a director of the Georgia Tobacco Growers Association.
The following were re-elected unopposed to serve two-year terms on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors: Bill Bryan of Chattooga County, 1st District; Bobby Gunter of Lumpkin County, 2nd District; George Chambers of Carroll County, 3rd District; Marvin Ruark of Morgan County, 4th District; Ralph Adamson of Lamar County, 5th District; James Malone Jr. of Laurens County, 6th District; Gary Bell of Evans County, 7th District; Scotty Raines of Turner County, 8th District; Paul Shirah of Mitchell County, 9th District; and David Lee of Bacon County, 10th District.
GFB directors beginning the second year of the two-year terms they were elected to in 2016 are: Wesley Hall of Forsyth County, 1st District; Randy Ruff of Elbert County, 2nd District; Nora Goodman of Paulding County, 3rd District; Skeetter McCorkle of McDuffie County, 4th District; Matt Bottoms of Pike County, 5th District; James Emory Tate of Jeff Davis County, 6th District; Ben Boyd of Screven County, 7th District; Don Wood of Wilcox County, 8th District; Lucius Adkins of Baker County, 9th District; and Lamar Vickers of Berrien County, 10th District.
Dustin Covington of Sumter County was named chairman of the Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee. Carol McQueen of Henry County was named chairman of the Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. Both will serve a one-year term as committee chairmen and will sit on the Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
Appointed officers of the GFB Board of Directors include General Counsel Duke Groover, Chief Administrative Officer & Corporate Secretary Jon Huffmaster and Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Treasurer David Jolley.
Delegates also voted on policy that will direct the organization’s stance on legislative issues pertaining to agriculture in the coming year.
Founded in 1937, the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization with 158 county chapters. As a membership-driven, nongovernmental organization, GFB serves as the voice of Georgia farmers and rural Georgia by advocating for them on legislative issues and promoting Georgia commodities. Its volunteer members actively participate in activities that promote agriculture awareness.
GFB membership is open to the public and offers a wide variety of benefits, including insurance and discounts for health services, travel and family entertainment. Enrollment in any of the member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership. If you would like more information about agriculture, please visit www.gfb.org, like Georgia Farm Bureau on Facebook or follow GFB on Twitter.
CLICK HERE for accompanying photo
SHORT CUTLINE TO ACCOMPANY PHOTO: Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates elected the organization’s 2018 board of directors Dec. 5 during the 80th Annual GFB Convention held on Jekyll Island. (Photo courtesy of Georgia Farm Bureau)
LONG CUTLINE TO ACCOMPANY PHOTO: Georgia Farm Bureau voting delegates elected the organization’s 2018 board of directors Dec. 5 during the 80th Annual GFB Convention held on Jekyll Island. The GFB Board consists of (front row, from left): Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Treasurer David Jolley, GFB North Georgia Vice President Bernard Sims, GFB 1st and Middle Georgia Vice President Robert Fountain Jr.; GFB President Gerald Long; GFB South Georgia Vice President Daniel Johnson; Chief Administrative Officer & Corporate Secretary Jon Huffmaster and General Counsel Duke Groover; (second row, from left) GFB 5th District Director Ralph Adamson; GFB 8th District Director Scotty Raines; GFB 9th District Director Lucius Adkins, GFB 1st District Director Wesley Hall, GFB 10th District Directors Lamar Vickers and David Lee, GFB 3rd District Director Nora Goodman, GFB 1st District Director Bill Bryan, GFB Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Carol McQueen and GFB 4th District Director Marvin Ruark; (standing, from left) GFB 5th District Director Matt Bottoms, GFB 2nd District Director Randy Ruff, GFB 9th District Director Paul Shirah, GFB 2nd District Director Bobby Gunter, GFB 6th District Director James Emory Tate, GFB 3rd District Director George Chambers, GFB Young Farmer Committee Chairman Dustin Covington, GFB 8th District Director Don Wood, GFB 7th District Directors Ben Boyd and Gary Bell, GFB 6th District Director James Malone and GFB 4th District Director Skeetter McCorkle. (Photo courtesy of Georgia Farm Bureau)
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