Meet the Authors
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I have lived in northeastern Connecticut since graduating from Cornell University with a major in animal science and a minor in agricultural business management. Born in the Midwest, I now call New England home. Currently, I reside on a 30+ acre horse farm that has been in the family for more than 50 years. My love for agriculture and living in the country has translated beautifully to my work at Farm Credit East. Most of my free time is spent with our young daughter and contributing as an active member of the local Chamber of Commerce, steering committee for Celebrating Agriculture and my hometown’s Board of Finance. Being involved in agriculture and living in the country myself helps me understand the challenges of rural living and drives me to make dreams of living in the country come true.
Dario oversees Farm Credit East's tax and accounting programs, business consulting, payroll and crop insurance business unit. Prior to becoming the Chief Financial Services Officer, he served as the Retail Financial Services Leader, providing coaching and leadership to a dedicated management team overseeing tax, accounting and consulting professionals. He joined Farm Credit in 2012 and was a Senior Tax Consultant specializing in tax consulting, research, planning and compliance for both individuals and businesses within the agricultural community before entering his most recent leadership roles. Dario also plays a significant role in Farm Credit’s Knowledge Exchange department on matters of policy as they relate to federal and state taxation.
Dario holds a B.S. from Cornell University, J.D. from Albany Law School and a LLM from New York University. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.
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Kyle Bell is the Knowledge Exchange Coordinator located in the Enfield, CT office. He assists in the publication of various reports, articles, financial benchmarking and background research for Farm Credit East's Knowledge Exchange team. He also assists in the area of public affairs on the federal and state levels. Kyle holds a BS in Agricultural Business & Public Policy from Wilmington College (OH).
Originally from North-central Ohio, Kyle joined Farm Credit East's Batavia, NY office shortly after graduation. He assisted with financial services in Farm Credit East's Career Development Program before being hired to the Enfield, CT office. Kyle is a volunteer fire fighter with the North Thompsonville Fire Department and enjoys collecting Silver King tractors in his free time. He is a proud FFA Alumni and earned his American FFA Degree in 2014.
Crystal Bernardes is the Compensation and Benefits Specialist at Farm Credit East working out of our Enfield, Connecticut office. Crystal graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She joined Farm Credit East in 2013, bringing with her over 10 years’ experience working in Human Resources for various industries, including car rental and nuclear manufacturing. She heads up Farm Credit East’s many benefit programs, wellness initiatives, new employee benefit orientation, and many other HR related projects. Crystal is a Connecticut native and currently resides in Massachusetts with her husband and son.
Jan oversees the ACA's communications, marketing, Knowledge Exchange and public relations efforts. Jan began her Farm Credit career as a loan officer in 1982 and has held various positions, including branch manager, regional manager and Chief Financial Services Officer. Jan is a past president of the Farm Financial Standards Council and served as treasurer of the New York Agricultural Land Trust. She volunteers at the Northeast Dairy Challenge and other ag and community groups. Jan holds a B.S. in agricultural economics from Cornell University and an MBA from Syracuse University.
Ted Black is the Director of the Country Living Program for Farm Credit East. Country Living provides loan products for homes, farms and land to lifestyle farmers and rural homeowners. The program, based out of Cooperstown, NY, consists of a team of loan originators, mortgage processors, a closing desk and centralized underwriting. Ted began his career with the Country Living Program in 2014 as a mortgage specialist marketing and originating loans to five counties in central New York.
Ted grew up on a small dairy farm in upstate New York. He received a BS in Business Management and Marketing from Keuka College. Ted and his family reside in Oneida, NY.
Growing up on a small dairy farm in Southern Vermont, Seth Browe learned quickly that agriculture is much larger than the few farms in the Mettowee Valley. Through groups like FFA and 4-H, Seth has had the opportunity to travel the country, growing a diverse network of professional agriculturists and building a better understanding of the food and fiber system. Seth is currently a senior at SUNY Cobleskill studying Agricultural Business Management and is seeking a career in agriculture services. At Cobleskill, he is a founding member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Colony, former National Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS) Board Member, and Student Economic Development Fellow.
Nicholas Bullock is a farm tax specialist for Farm Credit East, ACA, and enrolled agent to practice before the IRS. Nick had his own income tax practice in St. Johnsbury, Vt., for 10 years. He has extensive experience with agricultural enterprises, partnerships, corporations, other small business returns, IRS field audits, and accounting systems. He is a graduate of Lycoming College with semesters studying abroad at Westminster College, Oxford England. Nick is also a member of the American Society of Agricultural Consultants, instructor for the University of Vermont Extension Income Tax School, and is a past president of the Vermont Tax Practitioners Association.
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Megan Clancy is a Livestock Insurance Specialist for Crop Growers, located in the Cortland, N.Y., office. She has a passion for the dairy industry and helping farmers. In her role she serves as a trusted advisor specializing in dairy markets and risk management strategies for producers. Megan graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture business management. Prior to joining the Crop Growers team, Megan worked for Dairy Farmers of America for five years where she was the Manager of Fluid Milk Marketing. She currently serves as a board member for the New York State Agricultural Society Foundation and the SUNY Cobleskill Agriculture Business Advisory Board.
Crop Growers is the crop insurance team at Farm Credit East. That means along with knowing agriculture, we understand your financial risks and their impact on your operation. More than just protecting your crops and livestock, we work to protect your livelihood. Our Crop Growers agents help you make the best risk management decisions to protect your operation.
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Andrew Desiderio is a payroll leader and tax specialist in Farm Credit East’s Enfield, Conn., branch office. He grew up in Syracuse, NY, and graduated from LeMoyne College with a BS in business administration.
Andrew started is Farm Credit career in 2010 as a farm accounting representative in the Cortland, NY, branch office and then transitioned to Enfield in 2011 where he grew his experience in payroll, records and tax planning and preparation. In his current position as payroll leader, Andrew’s goal is to help make payroll easier and more efficient for Farm Credit East staff and customers.
Keith Dickinson is a Business Consultant with Farm Credit East, ACA, based in the Bridgeton, New Jersey branch office. His territory includes all of New Jersey and the lower Hudson Valley region of New York, and works in other areas as needed to serve client needs. Keith works with farmers and other agricultural business owners to assist them with the planning and management of their businesses. Specific areas of focus for his consulting practice include business planning, profitability analysis, estate and farm succession planning, and business entity selection and management.
Prior to his employment with Farm Credit East, Keith worked as an Agricultural Business Management Educator with Penn State Extension, and as a Farm Business Management Extension Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension. Keith holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics, both from Virginia Tech. Keith is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional, and has completed the Financial Planning Certificate program at Florida State University. Keith lives on the family grain and vegetable farm where he was raised in Stow Creek Township in Cumberland County, New Jersey. His wife, Yvonne and he have three children.
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Mike Fleming’s relationship with agriculture runs deep. In addition to having connections to his mother’s family farm and his grandfather’s agricultural implement dealership, the southern New York state native has 10-plus years of service with the Farm Credit System.
A graduate of Cornell University, Mike has grown his sales, leadership and financial acumen through roles at Telmark, Inc., Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase Bank. He joined the AgDirect® team in March 2023 following his role as a senior relationship manager with Farm Credit Leasing where he was responsible for all lease financing activities for commercial agricultural entities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Mike, like the AgDirect program, is focused on customer loyalty and creating win-wins for the dealerships offering AgDirect financing and the farm and ranch operations they mutually serve. Mike and his family reside in Connecticut. They enjoy biking, hiking, cross country skiing and kayaking in the mountains of northern New England.
Jeremy Forrett, Vice President/Assistant Manager of Crop Growers, headquartered in Homer, New York.
Crop Growers has created over 2,200 risk management plans with Northeast farmers. It is a leading provider of multi-peril crop insurance, revenue plan coverage, Livestock Gross Margin-Dairy and the whole farm revenue plan. The risk management plans that Crop Growers developed over the past 15 years have resulted in indemnity payments that exceed $275 million dollars back to Northeast farmers.
Jeremy began his crop insurance career at Crop Growers in 1997. He is a graduate of the Cornell LEAD New York Program, Class VIII. Jeremy, his wife Melissa and two children, Bailey and Emily, and reside in Cazenovia, New York.
Pete Frizzell is a Northeast Senior Advisor for Crop Growers, a crop insurance agency owned by Farm Credit East. Based in Enfield, Connecticut, Pete provides crop insurance and risk management tools to customers throughout New England and Long Island. Prior to his time with Farm Credit, Pete served in the United States Army and with the Connecticut National Guard.
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Jean Gallagher is the Branch Manager of Farm Credit East's Cortland, NY branch office which serves eight counties in Central New York. Jean’s experience with Farm Credit began as a Farm Credit Fellow with Cornell University and as a summer intern in 2008. After Jean graduated from Cornell in 2009, she started with Farm Credit East in the Career Development Program, transitioning to a credit representative in Riverhead, NY for two years and then a loan officer in Greenwich, NY for four years. Jean moved to Enfield, CT in 2015 where she served as the Director of Recruiting and Training and was responsible for managing the recruiting strategy and employee training programs.
During her time with Farm Credit East, Jean earned her Master’s in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. She is a graduate LEAD NY, Class 17. She grew up on a dairy farm in Sangerfield, NY and currently resides in Homer, NY.
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Daniele Harris is a crop insurance specialist for Crop Growers out of the Cooperstown, N.Y., office, providing crop insurance and dairy revenue protection to customers in central New York. She joined the team shortly after graduating from Cazenovia College with a dual degree in accounting and equine business management. Daniele lives and works in the same area she grew up showing her 4-H horse and has an admiration for central New York.
Jason Hoagland is a Senior Loan Officer/ Assistant Branch Manager in the Enfield branch office. He has a B.S. in Resource Economics and MBA from the University of Connecticut. Jason was the 2013 Farm Credit East Outstanding Citizenship Award Winner and a 2010 Hartford Business Journal 40 under forty recipient.
Jason resides in Windsor, CT with his wife, Allison and two children, Timothy and Brianna.
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Jon Jaffe was born and raised on a 60-cow dairy farm in upstate New York. After graduating from Cornell University in 1980, he operated his own dairy operation for a few years.
Jon has over 35 years of experience with Farm Credit, where his career has included working as a loan officer, assistant branch manager, tax specialist, appraiser, credit reviewer and farm business consultant. He has worked with a wide range of farm businesses in southern New England and New York. Jon has focused his efforts on farm business consulting, providing strategic business planning, generation transfer/estate planning, tax consulting, risk management and other consulting services to a wide variety of agricultural clients.
Jon has spoken at a number of seminars on topics such as labor management, farm transfers, farm business training and preparing a business plan. He has also spoken at cranberry grower meetings, aquaculture seminars, Farm Bureau meetings in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and other farm business meetings. Jon’s volunteer efforts include the advisory board for the Carrot Project (current president and chair of their loan committee), Rhode Island Ag Council (president for three years) and the Mass Flower Growers Board of directors. He has also served as board member of Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (10 years), the Economic Development Committee of the Cranberry Country Chamber of Commerce and the finance committee of Plymouth area Habitat for Humanity.
Oliver Jervis is currently a senior at Monmouth University, pursuing a degree in Finance and minoring in Information Technology. At Monmouth, Oliver is the president and founder of Athletes InterVarsity, chair of mental health and life skills for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, member of the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society and the Monmouth University football team, of which he is the community service leader.
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Kierra Kenyon recently graduated from SUNY Morrisville where she studied Agricultural Business Development. While at Morrisville, she had the opportunity to serve as an New York State Agricultural Society Ambassador, spent time at the Northeast Dairy Challenge as a Social Media Intern, attended many conferences and events, and found her passion within agriculture. Kierra is seeking a career in agriculture services and continues to advocate for agriculture and grow her love for the industry.
Knowledge Exchange from Farm Credit East aims to provide access to financial management knowledge and industry insights to help Northeast farmers, forest product producers and fishermen enhance and strengthen their businesses. From industry insight reports and webinars to monthly Knowledge Exchange Partner newsletter and weekly blog articles, Farm Credit East’s Knowledge Exchange team stays in tune with the Northeast agriculture industry to provide insightful, relevant information to help Farm Credit East customers and other industry professionals stay at the top of their game in an ever-changing business environment.
Kali Kraeger is a Mortgage Specialist on Farm Credit East's Country Living team in the Cooperstown, N.Y., office. She has lived in Upstate New York her entire life and has a deep appreciation of everything the area has to offer. After receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Economic Crime Investigation from Utica College, she began her career in the financial services industry. During her leisure time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, extended family, close friends and her two cats. Kali's experience with originating mortgage loans and attention to detail allows her to make the dream of real estate ownership a reality for people in Northeast rural communities.
Dallas Kriebel works as a Communications Specialist for Farm Credit East in the Enfield, Conn., office. She began working for Farm Credit East after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with a journalism concentration from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Dallas is well-versed in writing, editing and photography, and also specializes in social media and email marketing. She uses these strengths as a part of the marketing and communications team at Farm Credit East.
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Heather LaPierre is Farm Credit East’s grant writer and coordinator and has been with the cooperative since 2015. She has supported Farm Credit’s customers in a variety of roles, including content creation (written, video, social) to deliver value-added information to Northeast agribusinesses; change management to improve employee and customer experience; and, most recently, took on the role of grant writer and coordinator. Heather brings awareness and strategy to the grant process to help agribusinesses identify, apply, and follow through for their best chance at success. Heather graduated from Cornell University (’15) with a Bachelor of Science degree and lives in Greenwich, NY, with her husband, Andrew.
Chris Laughton is Farm Credit East’s Director of Knowledge Exchange and also serves as the FarmStart Program Manager. He writes frequently on topics relating to the intersection of agriculture, economics and management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Cornell University, as well as an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts. Prior to joining Farm Credit East, Chris worked in the nursery/greenhouse industry.
As a Senior Mortgage Specialist with Country Living Loans, I am a high energy and versatile mortgage professional. I started my banking career in 1989 and have more than 30 years of progressive experience in the mortgage industry. New England has always been my home and I enjoy spending time with my family. I am passionate about cooking, hiking and biking, and enjoy being actively involved in the community. I take pride in my ability to help customers finance their dream horse farm, hobby farm, rural land and home construction. Country Living offers mortgage choices that can help make your rural home ownership dream a reality with the speed and service you deserve.
William J. Lipinski served as Chief Executive Officer of Farm Credit East for over 25 years, setting strategic direction for human resources, credit and services delivery, finance and customer service. He was instrumental in the founding of FPI in 1995 and served on FPI's Board since the company's founding, most recently as Chairman.
Bill is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in agricultural economics. He began his Farm Credit career in 1979 and was promoted through a number of positions before becoming CEO of Farm Credit East. He has been a member of the Farm Credit System Presidents Planning Committee, a national leadership group. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of Pro-Fac Cooperative, Inc. and also served as director of the Farm Credit Leasing Corporation for a number of years.
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Brady Mattson is a Farm Tax Associate for Farm Credit East, ACA. Brady has been at Farm Credit for 4 years. He has experience with agricultural enterprises, partnerships, corporations, other small business returns, IRS field audits, and accounting systems. He is a graduate of Penn State University with a dual major in Accounting and Management Information Systems.
Kristie manages a fully integrated marketing communications program which includes media relations, advertising, social media, direct mail and trade show promotions. She works with Farm Credit East employees and members to share the unique stories of Northeast producers and provide insight into the diversity of Northeast agriculture through various customer publications and videos. Kristie was raised on her family’s vegetable farm on the eastern end of Long Island and now resides in southern New York with her husband and two children. She earned her B.A. in communications from Roger Williams University and her M.S. in public relations from Quinnipiac University.
Edward Maxwell is a tax consultant in Farm Credit East’s Cooperstown, N.Y., office. He helps farmers with strategies to manage their tax liabilities, as well as consulting on estate and succession planning. Ed assists farm families in choosing and setting up business entities that fit the tax and business needs of the farm, and helps guide families in making plans to pass the farm on to the next generation. Ed grew up on a dairy farm in central N.Y. with 10 siblings and continues to farm part-time today. He has also worked in the aerospace and construction industries during his career, but gets the most satisfaction out of working with farm families. Ed graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in applied economics and business management, and has achieved Enrolled Agent status with the Internal Revenue Service.
Gregg McConnell is a Business Consultant with Farm Credit East, ACA, based in the Geneva, New York branch. His territory includes the western Finger Lakes region of New York surrounding our Batavia, Hornell and Geneva offices. Beginning as a Farm Credit East loan officer, Gregg worked with a diverse portfolio of businesses for 15 years, including dairy, crop, equine and winery operations, in addition to specialized lending to sawmill operations and equipment dealerships. Today, Gregg offers his clients expertise in financial analysis and business transition, expansion and management. Gregg is equally adept at coordinating business transfer and estate planning discussions among families and analyzing farm business performance by demonstrating the relationship between business management strategies and financial performance.
In addition, Gregg is the director of Farm Credit East’s Winery Benchmarks, a comprehensive program of farm and retail data analysis and financial reporting. The Winery Benchmarks also includes a customized seminar and consulting visit for owners of vineyards and wineries. A University of Maine graduate with a degree in animal science, Gregg pursues ongoing professional development in his fields of expertise. Gregg and his wife, Juanita, have four children.
Roger provides strategic oversight to the credit and appraisal functions in the capital markets, agribusiness, retail and Country Living segments. He serves as Chair of Credit Committee and provides program leadership for Farm Credit East’s trade credit partnership with AgDirect, digital loan originations with Farmlend, and leasing services through Farm Credit Leasing. He serves on Farm Credit East’s Executive Leadership Team, Credit, Asset Liability, Business Risk, and Human Resources committees and works closely with the Board’s Business Risk Committee. He holds a degree in agricultural economics from Cornell University. He joined Farm Credit in 1981 and has held several positions with predecessor organizations as well as the Springfield Bank for Cooperatives and CoBank in Springfield, Mass.
Doug Myers is the Financial Services Leader in Farm Credit East’s Flemington, New Jersey office. He has over 17 years of experience with Farm Credit East and specializes in tax preparation, tax planning and accounting services to a diverse variety of agricultural businesses.
Doug holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness and Large Animal Science from Delaware Valley University and a MBA in Professional Accounting from Rutgers University.
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Growing up in Salem County and receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in finance at Stockton University, Anthony is familiar with all the beauty New Jersey has to offer. With a background in banking, being a part of the Country Living team puts him in an ideal position to serve my communities to the fullest. He's active member in the Salem Community College Alumni Association, enjoys the great outdoors, and finds time to cheer on his favorite Philly sports teams.
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Deanna Pellegrino is the Information Security Specialist at Farm Credit East and works in the Enfield, Conn., office. Deanna has been working as an information security professional since 2015. Her experience includes roles in data security, IT access management, operations and incident response. Deanna’s role at Farm Credit East is to develop, implement, monitor and support our cybersecurity program in order to improve the security posture for Farm Credit East.
Deanna has a bachelor’s degree in information technology with focuses in system administration and digital forensics from Western New England University. Her first job out of college was working for Farm Credit Financial Partners on their information security team, where she worked for over three years.
David H. Pugh provides strategic oversight and leadership to all lending and appraisal functions and their teams. He serves on Farm Credit East’s executive leadership team, Credit, Asset Liability, Business Risk and Human Resources committees and works closely with the Board’s Business Risk Committee. Dave also coordinates relationships with strategic partners, including Farm Credit Leasing and AgDirect. Dave started with Farm Credit in 1986 as a loan officer and has served in several varied credit delivery and leadership roles. Most recently, he served as Chief Experience Officer where he led Farm Credit East’s digital transformation. He was a member of LEAD New York, Class VIII. Dave holds an AAS in Animal Science from SUNY Morrisville and a BS in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University.
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Emily Quinn started her career with Farm Credit as a Farm Accounting Representative in the Cooperstown, N.Y. office. She specializes in record-keeping and tax preparation.
Emily received her associate degree in Agricultural Business from SUNY Cobleskill and then transferred to Cornell University where she finished a bachelor's degree in Animal Science. She grew up on a dairy farm in Washington County, N.Y.
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Jacob Raleigh started his career with Farm Credit East, ACA in 2013 and presently serves as a Credit Representative in the Dayville, CT office. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics in 2013.
Jacob currently works with members throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island working to improve their businesses and make sure they have a viable source of working capital. He also serves as the coordinator for the association's FFA initiative which aims to strengthen relationships with both local FFA chapters and students.
Mike has served as president and chief executive officer since 1/1/2020. He is a Farm Credit veteran having joined in 1990 after graduating from Hartwick College with a Bachelor’s in Management and Accounting. Prior to becoming CEO, he served as Chief Business Officer where he provided executive leadership for all branch credit and financial services operations. He is also a member of Farm Credit East’s Credit and Human Resources committees. He serves as chair of the board of Farm Credit Financial Partners (FPI), a service company owned by Farm Credit East and other ACAs. He is also active in other workgroups within the Farm Credit System, including serving as Vice Chair of the Farm Credit System’s Presidents Planning Committee, a national leadership group, and will serve as Chair in 2023.
Ethan Robertson is a Business Consultant for Farm Credit East based in Auburn, ME branch office. Ethan’s practice involves a variety of businesses including dairy, timber, potato and processing operations throughout Maine. Prior to joining Farm Credit east in 2014, Ethan was part owner in two insurance agencies- with an emphasis on agricultural risks.
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Samantha Stoddard joined the Bedford, NH branch of Farm Credit East in 2005, and is now a Senior Loan Officer and the FarmStart Investment Manager. Within these roles, she looks at how farmers can improve their businesses through expansion, consolidation or continuation of current methods.
Samantha grew up on a registered Holstein farm in northern New Hampshire and attended nearby Dartmouth College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. She volunteers for her hometown country fair every summer and is working to reduce her golf handicap.
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Erin Tones is a Senior Loan Officer working with a diverse range of farms including dairy, cash crop, and nursery operations. Erin came to Farm Credit East in 2019. She previously worked at the Sunoco Ethanol Plant in Fulton, N.Y., as the Manager of Marketing and Logistics.
Erin obtained a Bachelors in Environmental Science from Lehigh University and a Masters in Biological and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. She is a graduate of LEAD NY, a leadership development program for professionals in the agriculture, food and natural resources sectors. She is a former member of the Lead NY board of directors.
Erin is a native of Cayuga County, where she currently resides with her husband and four children. She is a member of the Union Springs Central School District Board of Education and the New York FarmNet Advisory Board.
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Joshua Volta is a Farm Credit East Tax Specialist in the Middleboro, Massachusetts, branch office. Josh has been with Farm Credit for 2 years. He works to prepare tax returns during the height of tax season and works with customers on tax preparation and tax compliance all year round.
Josh grew up in Plymouth, Massachusetts and went to Bridgewater State University to study accounting and finance after he finished his enlistment with the United States Marine Corps. In his spare time, Josh enjoys hiking, spending time with his fiancée Rachael and their dog Brandi, and attending concerts.
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Austin Weaver is a Tax Specialist in the Burrville, NY marketplace. Austin serves a broad base of individual and business clients in the dairy, fruit, cash crop, craft beverage, and retail sectors. Beginning his career in the Geneva, NY office in 2019, Austin has built a solid foundation in tax preparation, planning, consulting and research to serve the agricultural community. At Farm Credit East, Austin is currently the chair of the Young Professionals group, Co-Director of the Winery Benchmark Program, and leads the internal Tax Research group.
Austin is originally from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and moved to New York after obtaining a B.S in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cornell University’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 2019.
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I have lived in northeastern Connecticut since graduating from Cornell University with a major in animal science and a minor in agricultural business management. Born in the Midwest, I now call New England home. Currently, I reside on a 30+ acre horse farm that has been in the family for more than 50 years. My love for agriculture and living in the country has translated beautifully to my work at Farm Credit East. Most of my free time is spent with our young daughter and contributing as an active member of the local Chamber of Commerce, steering committee for Celebrating Agriculture and my hometown’s Board of Finance. Being involved in agriculture and living in the country myself helps me understand the challenges of rural living and drives me to make dreams of living in the country come true.
Dario oversees Farm Credit East's tax and accounting programs, business consulting, payroll and crop insurance business unit. Prior to becoming the Chief Financial Services Officer, he served as the Retail Financial Services Leader, providing coaching and leadership to a dedicated management team overseeing tax, accounting and consulting professionals. He joined Farm Credit in 2012 and was a Senior Tax Consultant specializing in tax consulting, research, planning and compliance for both individuals and businesses within the agricultural community before entering his most recent leadership roles. Dario also plays a significant role in Farm Credit’s Knowledge Exchange department on matters of policy as they relate to federal and state taxation.
Dario holds a B.S. from Cornell University, J.D. from Albany Law School and a LLM from New York University. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.
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Kyle Bell is the Knowledge Exchange Coordinator located in the Enfield, CT office. He assists in the publication of various reports, articles, financial benchmarking and background research for Farm Credit East's Knowledge Exchange team. He also assists in the area of public affairs on the federal and state levels. Kyle holds a BS in Agricultural Business & Public Policy from Wilmington College (OH).
Originally from North-central Ohio, Kyle joined Farm Credit East's Batavia, NY office shortly after graduation. He assisted with financial services in Farm Credit East's Career Development Program before being hired to the Enfield, CT office. Kyle is a volunteer fire fighter with the North Thompsonville Fire Department and enjoys collecting Silver King tractors in his free time. He is a proud FFA Alumni and earned his American FFA Degree in 2014.
Crystal Bernardes is the Compensation and Benefits Specialist at Farm Credit East working out of our Enfield, Connecticut office. Crystal graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She joined Farm Credit East in 2013, bringing with her over 10 years’ experience working in Human Resources for various industries, including car rental and nuclear manufacturing. She heads up Farm Credit East’s many benefit programs, wellness initiatives, new employee benefit orientation, and many other HR related projects. Crystal is a Connecticut native and currently resides in Massachusetts with her husband and son.
Jan oversees the ACA's communications, marketing, Knowledge Exchange and public relations efforts. Jan began her Farm Credit career as a loan officer in 1982 and has held various positions, including branch manager, regional manager and Chief Financial Services Officer. Jan is a past president of the Farm Financial Standards Council and served as treasurer of the New York Agricultural Land Trust. She volunteers at the Northeast Dairy Challenge and other ag and community groups. Jan holds a B.S. in agricultural economics from Cornell University and an MBA from Syracuse University.
Ted Black is the Director of the Country Living Program for Farm Credit East. Country Living provides loan products for homes, farms and land to lifestyle farmers and rural homeowners. The program, based out of Cooperstown, NY, consists of a team of loan originators, mortgage processors, a closing desk and centralized underwriting. Ted began his career with the Country Living Program in 2014 as a mortgage specialist marketing and originating loans to five counties in central New York.
Ted grew up on a small dairy farm in upstate New York. He received a BS in Business Management and Marketing from Keuka College. Ted and his family reside in Oneida, NY.
Growing up on a small dairy farm in Southern Vermont, Seth Browe learned quickly that agriculture is much larger than the few farms in the Mettowee Valley. Through groups like FFA and 4-H, Seth has had the opportunity to travel the country, growing a diverse network of professional agriculturists and building a better understanding of the food and fiber system. Seth is currently a senior at SUNY Cobleskill studying Agricultural Business Management and is seeking a career in agriculture services. At Cobleskill, he is a founding member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Colony, former National Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS) Board Member, and Student Economic Development Fellow.
Nicholas Bullock is a farm tax specialist for Farm Credit East, ACA, and enrolled agent to practice before the IRS. Nick had his own income tax practice in St. Johnsbury, Vt., for 10 years. He has extensive experience with agricultural enterprises, partnerships, corporations, other small business returns, IRS field audits, and accounting systems. He is a graduate of Lycoming College with semesters studying abroad at Westminster College, Oxford England. Nick is also a member of the American Society of Agricultural Consultants, instructor for the University of Vermont Extension Income Tax School, and is a past president of the Vermont Tax Practitioners Association.
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Megan Clancy is a Livestock Insurance Specialist for Crop Growers, located in the Cortland, N.Y., office. She has a passion for the dairy industry and helping farmers. In her role she serves as a trusted advisor specializing in dairy markets and risk management strategies for producers. Megan graduated from SUNY Cobleskill in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture business management. Prior to joining the Crop Growers team, Megan worked for Dairy Farmers of America for five years where she was the Manager of Fluid Milk Marketing. She currently serves as a board member for the New York State Agricultural Society Foundation and the SUNY Cobleskill Agriculture Business Advisory Board.
Crop Growers is the crop insurance team at Farm Credit East. That means along with knowing agriculture, we understand your financial risks and their impact on your operation. More than just protecting your crops and livestock, we work to protect your livelihood. Our Crop Growers agents help you make the best risk management decisions to protect your operation.
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Andrew Desiderio is a payroll leader and tax specialist in Farm Credit East’s Enfield, Conn., branch office. He grew up in Syracuse, NY, and graduated from LeMoyne College with a BS in business administration.
Andrew started is Farm Credit career in 2010 as a farm accounting representative in the Cortland, NY, branch office and then transitioned to Enfield in 2011 where he grew his experience in payroll, records and tax planning and preparation. In his current position as payroll leader, Andrew’s goal is to help make payroll easier and more efficient for Farm Credit East staff and customers.
Keith Dickinson is a Business Consultant with Farm Credit East, ACA, based in the Bridgeton, New Jersey branch office. His territory includes all of New Jersey and the lower Hudson Valley region of New York, and works in other areas as needed to serve client needs. Keith works with farmers and other agricultural business owners to assist them with the planning and management of their businesses. Specific areas of focus for his consulting practice include business planning, profitability analysis, estate and farm succession planning, and business entity selection and management.
Prior to his employment with Farm Credit East, Keith worked as an Agricultural Business Management Educator with Penn State Extension, and as a Farm Business Management Extension Agent with Virginia Cooperative Extension. Keith holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics, both from Virginia Tech. Keith is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional, and has completed the Financial Planning Certificate program at Florida State University. Keith lives on the family grain and vegetable farm where he was raised in Stow Creek Township in Cumberland County, New Jersey. His wife, Yvonne and he have three children.
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Mike Fleming’s relationship with agriculture runs deep. In addition to having connections to his mother’s family farm and his grandfather’s agricultural implement dealership, the southern New York state native has 10-plus years of service with the Farm Credit System.
A graduate of Cornell University, Mike has grown his sales, leadership and financial acumen through roles at Telmark, Inc., Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase Bank. He joined the AgDirect® team in March 2023 following his role as a senior relationship manager with Farm Credit Leasing where he was responsible for all lease financing activities for commercial agricultural entities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Mike, like the AgDirect program, is focused on customer loyalty and creating win-wins for the dealerships offering AgDirect financing and the farm and ranch operations they mutually serve. Mike and his family reside in Connecticut. They enjoy biking, hiking, cross country skiing and kayaking in the mountains of northern New England.
Jeremy Forrett, Vice President/Assistant Manager of Crop Growers, headquartered in Homer, New York.
Crop Growers has created over 2,200 risk management plans with Northeast farmers. It is a leading provider of multi-peril crop insurance, revenue plan coverage, Livestock Gross Margin-Dairy and the whole farm revenue plan. The risk management plans that Crop Growers developed over the past 15 years have resulted in indemnity payments that exceed $275 million dollars back to Northeast farmers.
Jeremy began his crop insurance career at Crop Growers in 1997. He is a graduate of the Cornell LEAD New York Program, Class VIII. Jeremy, his wife Melissa and two children, Bailey and Emily, and reside in Cazenovia, New York.
Pete Frizzell is a Northeast Senior Advisor for Crop Growers, a crop insurance agency owned by Farm Credit East. Based in Enfield, Connecticut, Pete provides crop insurance and risk management tools to customers throughout New England and Long Island. Prior to his time with Farm Credit, Pete served in the United States Army and with the Connecticut National Guard.
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Jean Gallagher is the Branch Manager of Farm Credit East's Cortland, NY branch office which serves eight counties in Central New York. Jean’s experience with Farm Credit began as a Farm Credit Fellow with Cornell University and as a summer intern in 2008. After Jean graduated from Cornell in 2009, she started with Farm Credit East in the Career Development Program, transitioning to a credit representative in Riverhead, NY for two years and then a loan officer in Greenwich, NY for four years. Jean moved to Enfield, CT in 2015 where she served as the Director of Recruiting and Training and was responsible for managing the recruiting strategy and employee training programs.
During her time with Farm Credit East, Jean earned her Master’s in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. She is a graduate LEAD NY, Class 17. She grew up on a dairy farm in Sangerfield, NY and currently resides in Homer, NY.
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Daniele Harris is a crop insurance specialist for Crop Growers out of the Cooperstown, N.Y., office, providing crop insurance and dairy revenue protection to customers in central New York. She joined the team shortly after graduating from Cazenovia College with a dual degree in accounting and equine business management. Daniele lives and works in the same area she grew up showing her 4-H horse and has an admiration for central New York.
Jason Hoagland is a Senior Loan Officer/ Assistant Branch Manager in the Enfield branch office. He has a B.S. in Resource Economics and MBA from the University of Connecticut. Jason was the 2013 Farm Credit East Outstanding Citizenship Award Winner and a 2010 Hartford Business Journal 40 under forty recipient.
Jason resides in Windsor, CT with his wife, Allison and two children, Timothy and Brianna.
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Jon Jaffe was born and raised on a 60-cow dairy farm in upstate New York. After graduating from Cornell University in 1980, he operated his own dairy operation for a few years.
Jon has over 35 years of experience with Farm Credit, where his career has included working as a loan officer, assistant branch manager, tax specialist, appraiser, credit reviewer and farm business consultant. He has worked with a wide range of farm businesses in southern New England and New York. Jon has focused his efforts on farm business consulting, providing strategic business planning, generation transfer/estate planning, tax consulting, risk management and other consulting services to a wide variety of agricultural clients.
Jon has spoken at a number of seminars on topics such as labor management, farm transfers, farm business training and preparing a business plan. He has also spoken at cranberry grower meetings, aquaculture seminars, Farm Bureau meetings in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and other farm business meetings. Jon’s volunteer efforts include the advisory board for the Carrot Project (current president and chair of their loan committee), Rhode Island Ag Council (president for three years) and the Mass Flower Growers Board of directors. He has also served as board member of Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (10 years), the Economic Development Committee of the Cranberry Country Chamber of Commerce and the finance committee of Plymouth area Habitat for Humanity.
Oliver Jervis is currently a senior at Monmouth University, pursuing a degree in Finance and minoring in Information Technology. At Monmouth, Oliver is the president and founder of Athletes InterVarsity, chair of mental health and life skills for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, member of the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society and the Monmouth University football team, of which he is the community service leader.
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Kierra Kenyon recently graduated from SUNY Morrisville where she studied Agricultural Business Development. While at Morrisville, she had the opportunity to serve as an New York State Agricultural Society Ambassador, spent time at the Northeast Dairy Challenge as a Social Media Intern, attended many conferences and events, and found her passion within agriculture. Kierra is seeking a career in agriculture services and continues to advocate for agriculture and grow her love for the industry.
Knowledge Exchange from Farm Credit East aims to provide access to financial management knowledge and industry insights to help Northeast farmers, forest product producers and fishermen enhance and strengthen their businesses. From industry insight reports and webinars to monthly Knowledge Exchange Partner newsletter and weekly blog articles, Farm Credit East’s Knowledge Exchange team stays in tune with the Northeast agriculture industry to provide insightful, relevant information to help Farm Credit East customers and other industry professionals stay at the top of their game in an ever-changing business environment.
Kali Kraeger is a Mortgage Specialist on Farm Credit East's Country Living team in the Cooperstown, N.Y., office. She has lived in Upstate New York her entire life and has a deep appreciation of everything the area has to offer. After receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Economic Crime Investigation from Utica College, she began her career in the financial services industry. During her leisure time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, extended family, close friends and her two cats. Kali's experience with originating mortgage loans and attention to detail allows her to make the dream of real estate ownership a reality for people in Northeast rural communities.
Dallas Kriebel works as a Communications Specialist for Farm Credit East in the Enfield, Conn., office. She began working for Farm Credit East after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with a journalism concentration from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Dallas is well-versed in writing, editing and photography, and also specializes in social media and email marketing. She uses these strengths as a part of the marketing and communications team at Farm Credit East.
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Heather LaPierre is Farm Credit East’s grant writer and coordinator and has been with the cooperative since 2015. She has supported Farm Credit’s customers in a variety of roles, including content creation (written, video, social) to deliver value-added information to Northeast agribusinesses; change management to improve employee and customer experience; and, most recently, took on the role of grant writer and coordinator. Heather brings awareness and strategy to the grant process to help agribusinesses identify, apply, and follow through for their best chance at success. Heather graduated from Cornell University (’15) with a Bachelor of Science degree and lives in Greenwich, NY, with her husband, Andrew.
Chris Laughton is Farm Credit East’s Director of Knowledge Exchange and also serves as the FarmStart Program Manager. He writes frequently on topics relating to the intersection of agriculture, economics and management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Cornell University, as well as an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts. Prior to joining Farm Credit East, Chris worked in the nursery/greenhouse industry.
As a Senior Mortgage Specialist with Country Living Loans, I am a high energy and versatile mortgage professional. I started my banking career in 1989 and have more than 30 years of progressive experience in the mortgage industry. New England has always been my home and I enjoy spending time with my family. I am passionate about cooking, hiking and biking, and enjoy being actively involved in the community. I take pride in my ability to help customers finance their dream horse farm, hobby farm, rural land and home construction. Country Living offers mortgage choices that can help make your rural home ownership dream a reality with the speed and service you deserve.
William J. Lipinski served as Chief Executive Officer of Farm Credit East for over 25 years, setting strategic direction for human resources, credit and services delivery, finance and customer service. He was instrumental in the founding of FPI in 1995 and served on FPI's Board since the company's founding, most recently as Chairman.
Bill is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in agricultural economics. He began his Farm Credit career in 1979 and was promoted through a number of positions before becoming CEO of Farm Credit East. He has been a member of the Farm Credit System Presidents Planning Committee, a national leadership group. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of Pro-Fac Cooperative, Inc. and also served as director of the Farm Credit Leasing Corporation for a number of years.
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Brady Mattson is a Farm Tax Associate for Farm Credit East, ACA. Brady has been at Farm Credit for 4 years. He has experience with agricultural enterprises, partnerships, corporations, other small business returns, IRS field audits, and accounting systems. He is a graduate of Penn State University with a dual major in Accounting and Management Information Systems.
Kristie manages a fully integrated marketing communications program which includes media relations, advertising, social media, direct mail and trade show promotions. She works with Farm Credit East employees and members to share the unique stories of Northeast producers and provide insight into the diversity of Northeast agriculture through various customer publications and videos. Kristie was raised on her family’s vegetable farm on the eastern end of Long Island and now resides in southern New York with her husband and two children. She earned her B.A. in communications from Roger Williams University and her M.S. in public relations from Quinnipiac University.
Edward Maxwell is a tax consultant in Farm Credit East’s Cooperstown, N.Y., office. He helps farmers with strategies to manage their tax liabilities, as well as consulting on estate and succession planning. Ed assists farm families in choosing and setting up business entities that fit the tax and business needs of the farm, and helps guide families in making plans to pass the farm on to the next generation. Ed grew up on a dairy farm in central N.Y. with 10 siblings and continues to farm part-time today. He has also worked in the aerospace and construction industries during his career, but gets the most satisfaction out of working with farm families. Ed graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in applied economics and business management, and has achieved Enrolled Agent status with the Internal Revenue Service.
Gregg McConnell is a Business Consultant with Farm Credit East, ACA, based in the Geneva, New York branch. His territory includes the western Finger Lakes region of New York surrounding our Batavia, Hornell and Geneva offices. Beginning as a Farm Credit East loan officer, Gregg worked with a diverse portfolio of businesses for 15 years, including dairy, crop, equine and winery operations, in addition to specialized lending to sawmill operations and equipment dealerships. Today, Gregg offers his clients expertise in financial analysis and business transition, expansion and management. Gregg is equally adept at coordinating business transfer and estate planning discussions among families and analyzing farm business performance by demonstrating the relationship between business management strategies and financial performance.
In addition, Gregg is the director of Farm Credit East’s Winery Benchmarks, a comprehensive program of farm and retail data analysis and financial reporting. The Winery Benchmarks also includes a customized seminar and consulting visit for owners of vineyards and wineries. A University of Maine graduate with a degree in animal science, Gregg pursues ongoing professional development in his fields of expertise. Gregg and his wife, Juanita, have four children.
Roger provides strategic oversight to the credit and appraisal functions in the capital markets, agribusiness, retail and Country Living segments. He serves as Chair of Credit Committee and provides program leadership for Farm Credit East’s trade credit partnership with AgDirect, digital loan originations with Farmlend, and leasing services through Farm Credit Leasing. He serves on Farm Credit East’s Executive Leadership Team, Credit, Asset Liability, Business Risk, and Human Resources committees and works closely with the Board’s Business Risk Committee. He holds a degree in agricultural economics from Cornell University. He joined Farm Credit in 1981 and has held several positions with predecessor organizations as well as the Springfield Bank for Cooperatives and CoBank in Springfield, Mass.
Doug Myers is the Financial Services Leader in Farm Credit East’s Flemington, New Jersey office. He has over 17 years of experience with Farm Credit East and specializes in tax preparation, tax planning and accounting services to a diverse variety of agricultural businesses.
Doug holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness and Large Animal Science from Delaware Valley University and a MBA in Professional Accounting from Rutgers University.
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Growing up in Salem County and receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in finance at Stockton University, Anthony is familiar with all the beauty New Jersey has to offer. With a background in banking, being a part of the Country Living team puts him in an ideal position to serve my communities to the fullest. He's active member in the Salem Community College Alumni Association, enjoys the great outdoors, and finds time to cheer on his favorite Philly sports teams.
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Deanna Pellegrino is the Information Security Specialist at Farm Credit East and works in the Enfield, Conn., office. Deanna has been working as an information security professional since 2015. Her experience includes roles in data security, IT access management, operations and incident response. Deanna’s role at Farm Credit East is to develop, implement, monitor and support our cybersecurity program in order to improve the security posture for Farm Credit East.
Deanna has a bachelor’s degree in information technology with focuses in system administration and digital forensics from Western New England University. Her first job out of college was working for Farm Credit Financial Partners on their information security team, where she worked for over three years.
David H. Pugh provides strategic oversight and leadership to all lending and appraisal functions and their teams. He serves on Farm Credit East’s executive leadership team, Credit, Asset Liability, Business Risk and Human Resources committees and works closely with the Board’s Business Risk Committee. Dave also coordinates relationships with strategic partners, including Farm Credit Leasing and AgDirect. Dave started with Farm Credit in 1986 as a loan officer and has served in several varied credit delivery and leadership roles. Most recently, he served as Chief Experience Officer where he led Farm Credit East’s digital transformation. He was a member of LEAD New York, Class VIII. Dave holds an AAS in Animal Science from SUNY Morrisville and a BS in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University.
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Emily Quinn started her career with Farm Credit as a Farm Accounting Representative in the Cooperstown, N.Y. office. She specializes in record-keeping and tax preparation.
Emily received her associate degree in Agricultural Business from SUNY Cobleskill and then transferred to Cornell University where she finished a bachelor's degree in Animal Science. She grew up on a dairy farm in Washington County, N.Y.
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Jacob Raleigh started his career with Farm Credit East, ACA in 2013 and presently serves as a Credit Representative in the Dayville, CT office. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics in 2013.
Jacob currently works with members throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island working to improve their businesses and make sure they have a viable source of working capital. He also serves as the coordinator for the association's FFA initiative which aims to strengthen relationships with both local FFA chapters and students.
Mike has served as president and chief executive officer since 1/1/2020. He is a Farm Credit veteran having joined in 1990 after graduating from Hartwick College with a Bachelor’s in Management and Accounting. Prior to becoming CEO, he served as Chief Business Officer where he provided executive leadership for all branch credit and financial services operations. He is also a member of Farm Credit East’s Credit and Human Resources committees. He serves as chair of the board of Farm Credit Financial Partners (FPI), a service company owned by Farm Credit East and other ACAs. He is also active in other workgroups within the Farm Credit System, including serving as Vice Chair of the Farm Credit System’s Presidents Planning Committee, a national leadership group, and will serve as Chair in 2023.
Ethan Robertson is a Business Consultant for Farm Credit East based in Auburn, ME branch office. Ethan’s practice involves a variety of businesses including dairy, timber, potato and processing operations throughout Maine. Prior to joining Farm Credit east in 2014, Ethan was part owner in two insurance agencies- with an emphasis on agricultural risks.
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Samantha Stoddard joined the Bedford, NH branch of Farm Credit East in 2005, and is now a Senior Loan Officer and the FarmStart Investment Manager. Within these roles, she looks at how farmers can improve their businesses through expansion, consolidation or continuation of current methods.
Samantha grew up on a registered Holstein farm in northern New Hampshire and attended nearby Dartmouth College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. She volunteers for her hometown country fair every summer and is working to reduce her golf handicap.
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Erin Tones is a Senior Loan Officer working with a diverse range of farms including dairy, cash crop, and nursery operations. Erin came to Farm Credit East in 2019. She previously worked at the Sunoco Ethanol Plant in Fulton, N.Y., as the Manager of Marketing and Logistics.
Erin obtained a Bachelors in Environmental Science from Lehigh University and a Masters in Biological and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. She is a graduate of LEAD NY, a leadership development program for professionals in the agriculture, food and natural resources sectors. She is a former member of the Lead NY board of directors.
Erin is a native of Cayuga County, where she currently resides with her husband and four children. She is a member of the Union Springs Central School District Board of Education and the New York FarmNet Advisory Board.
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Joshua Volta is a Farm Credit East Tax Specialist in the Middleboro, Massachusetts, branch office. Josh has been with Farm Credit for 2 years. He works to prepare tax returns during the height of tax season and works with customers on tax preparation and tax compliance all year round.
Josh grew up in Plymouth, Massachusetts and went to Bridgewater State University to study accounting and finance after he finished his enlistment with the United States Marine Corps. In his spare time, Josh enjoys hiking, spending time with his fiancée Rachael and their dog Brandi, and attending concerts.
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Austin Weaver is a Tax Specialist in the Burrville, NY marketplace. Austin serves a broad base of individual and business clients in the dairy, fruit, cash crop, craft beverage, and retail sectors. Beginning his career in the Geneva, NY office in 2019, Austin has built a solid foundation in tax preparation, planning, consulting and research to serve the agricultural community. At Farm Credit East, Austin is currently the chair of the Young Professionals group, Co-Director of the Winery Benchmark Program, and leads the internal Tax Research group.
Austin is originally from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and moved to New York after obtaining a B.S in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cornell University’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 2019.