Senior leadership changes at IFB

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr. announced four changes to his team of senior leaders, including the hiring of Mark Gebhards as the organization’s first-ever chief strategy officer.

Kevin Semlow, IFB’s director of state legislation for the past 20 years, assumes Gebhards’ previous role as executive director of the Governmental Affairs and Commodities Division.

Ryan Ford and Matt Wettersten replace two longtime IFB employees who recently retired, taking over the Field and Member Services Division and Marketing and Communications Division, respectively.

These new senior leaders will work on strategically positioning IFB to continue meeting member needs long into the future.

“The demographics of our members are changing and so are their needs. This is the next step in a plan we’ve been working on to make sure IFB remains as strong as ever,” Guebert said. “Our success is based on continuous innovation, member engagement and focus on the issues that affect our members the most.”

As CSO and assistant to the president, Gebhards will work with an advisory committee of IFB directors, county Farm Bureau presidents and managers and Young Leaders to lead the organization’s Organizational Member Strategy.

The OMS aims to ensure IFB and county Farm Bureaus are positioned to deliver programs and services members need in the future.

Semlow will oversee IFB’s efforts to advocate for members among government bodies, educate members on proposed legislation and regulations and manage contractual agreements with affiliate organizations.

Ford takes on IFB’s membership, youth education and Young Leader programs, county Farm Bureau Managers and the Manager Trainee program, the IAA Annual Meeting, consumer engagement and Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom.

Wettersten will lead the marketing, communications and news functions of the organization. This includes publications, the RFD Radio Network, video, issue management, media relations, digital media, graphic design and marketing support for IFB and county Farm Bureaus.

Chief Financial Officer Alan Dodds and General Counsel Jennifer Vance remain part of IFB’s senior leadership and will continue to be part of its strategic efforts going forward.

“As this transition continues, I remind our members that we always need their input,” Guebert said. “We are not going to do anything the counties and members don’t want to do. We have an advisory committee informing this process and a delegate body that will meet at our annual meeting in December. Any changes we make will be guided by our members.”