INNOVATIVE AG SERVICES - Key Persons


Adam Hill

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • 2nd Vice Chairman / Ellsworth, Iowa

Adam Rollinger

Job Titles:
  • East Region - Business Operations Manager

Al Meister

Job Titles:
  • West Region - Business Operations Manager

Amy Echard

Job Titles:
  • East Grain Marketing Manager, Monona

Anita LaVelle

Job Titles:
  • West Region - Agronomy Business Development and Procurement Manager

Bill Vetter

Job Titles:
  • Safety & Compliance Director

Blake Smith

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Oran

Bob Bjerke

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Waukon

Brad Dewell

Job Titles:
  • Swine Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Brad Spain

Job Titles:
  • Production Specialist

Brandon Thorn

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Union

Brent Kuper

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Hubbard & Lawn Hill

Brian Baxter

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Waukon

Caleigh Hewitt

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Hubbard

Carla Elliott

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Leadership Team
  • Vice President of Human Resources
Carla began her career with Innovative Ag Services in April 2012 and has a total of 23 years of experience in Human Resources. Carla is responsible for recruitment, workers compensation, benefits administration, employee labor relations, HR legal compliance, marketing communications, payroll, and training & development. Prior to joining the company, Carla has served in positions with increasing responsibility in a variety of industries. She has worked for companies such as Parker Hannifin Corporation Fluid Connectors Division as a HR Administrator, Hupp Electric Motors, Inc. as HR Manager and prior to coming on board with IAS she was serving in the role of Director of Human Resources for J&P Cycles, Inc. a worldwide supplier of aftermarket motorcycle parts. Carla attended Kirkwood Community College prior to graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Human Resource Management from Kaplan University. She also has her MBA from the University of Dubuque. She currently serves as Board Chair for the Cooperative Health Care Plan.

Carrie Kula

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Central City

Chad Lange

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Dairy Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Charlie White

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Leadership Team
  • Vice President of Grain
Charlie began his career with Innovative Ag Services in September of 2021 and has a total of 11 years of experience in the Grain business. Charlie is responsible for grain marketing, hedging, procurement, risk management and profitability for the Grain Business Unit. Prior to joining the company, Charlie worked for Heartland Co-op in Location Manager roles at Malcom, and Fairfield, a 110 car BNSF grain shuttle loader in southeast Iowa, and most recently as a Grain Merchandiser role in West Des Moines. Merchandising markets that included BNSF corn, soybeans, milo, and HRW and freight, UP corn, Mid-Mississippi barge freight, and the Hereford, TX cattle and dairy whole corn markets. Charlie graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business with a minor in Agronomy.

Chris Castek

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Monticello

Chris Hewitt

Job Titles:
  • Service Technician, Hubbard

Craig Thier

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Farley

Dan Jass

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Alden & Williams

Dan Schmitt

Job Titles:
  • Beef Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Dave Rueber

Job Titles:
  • Beef Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Dave Wilt

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Cascade

Denise Deppe

Job Titles:
  • Location Customer Service, Masonville

Dennis Barr - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Member of the Leadership Team

Dillon Langel

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Farley

Dustin Haberkorn

Job Titles:
  • East Region - Agronomy Business Development Manager

Eric Cherne

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Elkader & Monona

Hattie Holmes

Job Titles:
  • Location Customer Service, Central City

Heath Mitchell

Job Titles:
  • Service Technician, Hubbard

Isaac Ambrosy

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Andrew

Isaac Imsland

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Energy Manager, Hubbard

Jeff Kelchen

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Monticello

Jeff Luiken

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Faulkner

Joe Thraenert

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Director / Elma, Iowa

Joel Diesing

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Central City

John Hammel

Job Titles:
  • Livestock Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Jordan Bakker

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Faulkner

Justin Meints

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Cleves & Owasa

Kaleb Kruse

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Masonville

Kayla Bergman

Job Titles:
  • Sustain Lead

Ken Smith - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Member of the Leadership Team
Ken brings nearly 30 years of increasing responsibility and professional experience in the agriculture industry. Ken grew up on a farm in North Central Indiana before attending Purdue University, earning both a bachelor's and master's degree in agriculture economics.

Kirstin Schaefer

Job Titles:
  • Location Customer Service, Monticello

Kurt Christensen

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Alta Vista & Elma

Laci Beck

Job Titles:
  • Location Customer Service, Elkader

Laura Lyman

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor

Loren Manternach

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Secretary / Cascade, Iowa

Marcus Norman

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Independence, Masonville & Winthrop

Mark Nehring

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Garden City

Mark Trumm

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Cascade

Matt Kinley

Job Titles:
  • Northeast Region - Business Operations Manager

Melissa Schumann

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Elkader

Mickala Stallman

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Garden City - Hubbard

Mike Bachman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Leadership Team
  • Vice President of Feed
Mike began his career with Innovative Ag Services in 2008 as part of the merger with United Cooperative and has over 29 years of experience in the cooperative system. Mike is responsible for sales & P&L management of the feed department. He manages his team to add value to the products and services sold to our member customers. Mike started his career as a feed truck driver for Luana Cooperative in 1992. Soon thereafter Luana Cooperative merged with Monona Cooperative forming United Cooperative where Mike assumed several duties in the feed, grain, and agronomy departments. In 2000 mike was named the Feed Department Manager for United Cooperative and was responsible for the overall operations of 3 feed mills. In 2008 United Cooperative merged with Innovative Ag Services where Mike became Location Manager for the Cascade location. Mike has been in his current role for Innovative Ag Services as Feed Ingredient Manager/Hopkinton Location Manager/Cuba City Regional Manager since 2011. Previous Mike served 4 years in the United States Navy stationed onboard the USS New Jersey in Long Beach, California. Mike also has a BS in Business Management from Upper Iowa University.

Nathan Shatek

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Elma

Nick Giesemann

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Monona

Owen Heetland

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Cleves

Patrick Bries

Job Titles:
  • Beef Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Paul Cook

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Director / Hubbard, Iowa

Rachel Casey

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Ellsworth

Rachel Kucera

Job Titles:
  • Operations Service Support

Randy Blake

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • President / Bellevue, Iowa

Randy Swenson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Leadership Team
  • Vice President of Energy
Randy began his career with Innovative Ag Services in April 1993 and has a total of 32 years of experience in the Energy business. Randy is responsible for the marketing, procurement, risk management and P&L of all petroleum and service products. Other responsibilities include, dispatching of transport loads, managing all service personnel, overseeing delivery routes and managing inventory. Prior to joining IAS, Randy managed his family's Osceola, IA cattle and grain farm. He then became a service technician and LP delivery man for Thermogas Companies where he developed his career to Location Manager. In 1993, Randy was hired by a representative of the Hubbard Farmers' Cooperative to start a propane business. That business continues to thrive today under Innovative Ag Services. Randy graduated from Radcliffe Community School.

Rick Vaughan - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Member of the Leadership Team
Rick began his career with Innovative Ag Services in February 1995. He has a total of 37 years of experience in the Ag Business field. As Chief Executive Officer, Rick oversees all activities of Innovative Ag Services. Throughout the years, Rick has held several positions within the industry. He started his career at Mid-Iowa Coop as a Location Manager and Director of Planning and Development. Rick moved onto the Avon Grain Company where he served as Controller and CEO. He then progressed his career to become an Assistant Manager at Heartland Coop before he joined Prairie Land Cooperative as the General Manager. Rick holds a BS degree in Ag Business from Iowa State University. He has served and continues to serve on the board of directors for multiple organizations including Agricultural Cooperative Employment Services and Associated Benefits Corporation.

Ryan Collins

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Director / Harpers Ferry, Iowa

Samantha Farrington

Job Titles:
  • Precision Ag Manager, Garden City

Shelby Whittle

Job Titles:
  • Location Customer Service, Monona

Skott Gent

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Andrew

Stan Norman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Director / New Providence, Iowa

Steve Perry

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • 1st Vice Chairman / New Providence, Iowa

Steve Wagner

Job Titles:
  • Beef Production Specialist, Multiple Locations

Tim Burrack

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Director / Arlington, Iowa

Tim Kelley

Job Titles:
  • Grain Accounting Manager, Manchester & Masonville

Tim Krausman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Leadership Team
  • Vice President of Agronomy
Tim began his career with Innovative Ag Services in October 2002 and has a total of 20 years of experience in the Agronomy business. Tim's responsibilities include the procurement of fertilizer, chemical and seed as well as the oversight of the Precision Ag Department and P&L responsibilities for the agronomy department. Tim has held various positions of increasing responsibility in the industry including seed specialist, seed manager and most recently agronomy department manager. Tim received his Ag Business Degree from Iowa State University.

Tim Vanderloop

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Alden

Treva Gillam

Job Titles:
  • Agronomy Sales Advisor, Union

Tyler Farnham

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Leadership Team
  • Vice President of Business Operations
Tyler started his career at Farmers Cooperative in Farnhamville after college. He spent several years there in many roles operationally and working with sales. Tyler was there through the merger with West Central Cooperative to form the new Co-op known today as Landus. Then he transitioned into a role with Five Star Cooperative overseeing operations with them as well as working very closely with the sales team. From there he spent the next 5 years up in South Dakota as a Regional Business Manager for Agtegra Cooperative. His most recent role was in Sioux Center, Iowa as the Senior Director of Grain for Farmers Co-op Society. Tyler grew up on a family farm south of Fort Dodge, Iowa in a small town called Gowrie. He has a son and a daughter.

Tyler Foster

Job Titles:
  • Location Manager, Ellsworth

Zach Fagan

Job Titles:
  • Seed Sales Specialist, Cascade