2010 Membership Awards
Dan DeRouchey (center), Berthold Farmers Elevator, Berthold, N.D., accepts the "Greatest Percentage Increase" award on behalf of the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association from Membership and Marketing Committee chairman Mark Avery, Grain Journal. The NDGDA will receive a traveling plaque to display for the coming year.
In the "Most Total Points" category of the Affiliate recruiting competition, Benjamin Smith, Attebury Grain Co., Amarillo, Tex., accepts on behalf of the Texas Grain and Feed Association. TGFA also will receive a traveling plaque to display over the next year.
Third place in the Individual recruiting competition went to Scotty McCoy, White Commercial Corp., Sandersville, Ga., who signed up seven new members! One of Scotty's recruits, Dave Danker of Buchheit Inc. in Perryville, Mo., accepts the "Vegas Vacation" prize on Scotty's behalf. Sponsored by Arizona Grain Inc., Casa Grande, Ariz., and Demeter LP, Fowler, Ind., the prize includes airfare for two to Las Vegas and two nights accommodations.
Steve Strege of the North Dakota Grain Dealers Association was awarded Second Place in the Individual Competition. Steve sponsored five new members to win the "Frisco Frolic" prize: airfare for two to San Francisco and two nights accommodations. Accepting on Steve's behalf is Dan DeRouchey. Penny-Newman Grain Co., Fresno, Calif., and R.J. O'Brien, Chicago, Ill., sponsored the Frisco Frolic prize.
Grand Prize winner in the Individual Competition was awarded to Terry Knudson, Ag First Farmers Cooperative, Brookings, S.D. Terry will receive the "Cancun Get-Away" prize, consisting of airfare for two to Cancun and two nights accommodations. Accepting the prize on Terry's behalf was Kathy Zander, South Dakota Grain and Feed Association. Thanks to The Greenbrier Companies, Antioch, Ill., for sponsoring this prize.
The Nootbaar Prize is an annual $1,000 cash prize endowed by past NGFA president Herb Nootbaar. In the random prize drawing, in which all successful NGFA recruiters over the past year were entered, Steve Strege emerged victorious. Accepting again on Steve's behalf was Dan DeRouchey, who received congratulations from former NGFA Membership Committee chairman Ashmead Pringle, Grain Service Corp., Atlanta, Ga. Ashmead delivered brief remarks thanking Herb Nootbaar and recognizing the importance of membership recruiting to the NGFA.
Grain Service Corp. offered cash prizes of $500 and $250 to additional recruiters entered in the Nootbaar Prize drawing. Ashmead Pringle congratulates winners Diana Klemme, Grain Service Corp., and JoAnn Brouillette, Demeter LP, Fowler, Ind. Other winners not present were Ray Keating, Center Ethanol, Sauget, Ill., and Scotty McCoy, White Commercial Corp.