My Best Mentors

Industry leaders credit those who helped advance their careers

Derek Teal

Manager

Pomoroy Grain Growers Inc.

Pomoroy, WA

In industry since 2010

“My first, best mentors were my father, Dennis Teal, and my grandfather, Bud Mills. Both of these men instilled in me a great work ethic. My grandfather was a lifelong farmer, and he used to say, ‘Work like a man, and we’ll pay you like a man.’ I was driving a combine at age 8. My dad was a crop duster, and he’d get to the field before daylight and work until dark. I was loading and fueling planes starting at age 10-12 before and after school if I wasn’t playing sports.

“I remember driving a fuel truck up to an aircraft and it had to be within 2 inches of the wing. It was pretty stressful. Growing up, we had about two acres of mowed grass, and as a crop duster my dad could see if I missed a strip with the mower, and if I did, I’d have to go back and finish it.

“My next great mentor was Norm Ruhoff. He worked for PNW Farmers Coop, and I worked for a competitor, Co-Ag Coop. Norm was a super nice guy. If I had questions about hedging and/or futures in general, as well as any marketing questions, he was happy to help even though we were competitors.

“Another great mentor was Bob Cox, the former general manager at Pomeroy Grain Growers. Talking to Bob, it was about how he ran the business, and he had a sterling reputation, and everyone around here knows him. I took over for him as general manager in 2018, and after the first day he said, ‘It looks like you have it under control,’ and he left for a month. Bob still answers any questions I have.”

Ted Behring

Manager

Farmers Coop Equity Co.

Isabel, KS

In industry since 2000

“I always looked up to my dad, Wayne Behring, who taught me my work ethic. He worked for a tire company changing tires for a living. He exemplified hard work and dedication to his job in order to provide for his family.

“Often, he had to take calls on Sundays so he could keep farmers rolling. He missed family time, but knew he had to provide for his family. He used to say, ‘If you want to go out and have fun, that’s fine but know you have to get up and go to work the next day.’ I love him and appreciate everything he did for us.

“My first mentor in the industry was Charlie Swayze, the general manager at Farmers Coop Equity when I started here. He wasn’t my direct boss initially, but he saw potential in me and taught me a lot about the industry. Charlie’s seen a lot and knows a lot about the coop world. He was and continues to be a valuable source of information, and I still bounce things off him.

“Charlie always reminded me to look at the big picture and also to relax and take a breath sometimes. He also stressed always making sure my values were in the right spot.”

Michelle Bergman

Vice President-Grain

Cooperative Elevator Company

Pigeon, MI

In industry since 1988

“My first mentor was Michael Janowicz, the current vice president of dry beans and past vice president of grain and beans here at Cooperative Elevator Co.

“I worked directly for Michael for many years. He gave me the opportunity to learn the grain business by giving me guidance and advice along the way. Michael was always encouraging, and at the same time, reminded me that I needed a thick skin to take on the job of vice president. He taught me to be patient when big issues arose and would tell me that today’s problems wouldn’t seem that big the next day – and he was right. I’ve been in my current role as vice president of grain for six years, and all the advice he gave me over the years has been very useful.

“My second mentor is Patricia Anderson, the former president and CEO of Cooperative Elevator Co. When I started here in 1988, she was working in the accounting department. Patricia always encouraged me to make a career here at Cooperative Elevator Co. As I moved through the many jobs to learn the business, she was always there at every turn building my confidence.

“To this day, I still look up to Patricia for what she did for me. I’m thankful she led the way for women to be more involved in the grain industry, and I try to encourage all of my staff that this is a great business, and nothing is impossible to achieve.”

Mark Lalum

General Manager

CHS Mountain West Coop

Missoula, MT

In industry since 2000

“My father, Luke Lalum, was a great mentor for my entire career. He was a good one for looking at options and helping me choose the best course of action. He was always a steady, guiding light.

“Before 2000, I was a high school agricultural education teacher, and we taught together for four years. He was a real mentor to me and helped me work through the transition to entering the ag industry.

“Ken Blakeman was my next great mentor. He was a grain merchant in Idaho, when I was hired as a grain merchant, buying grain in the Lewiston, ID area and northwestern Montana. Ken knew the uniqueness of this area, and he was a confidant, providing good insight into the grain buying process. When I got into situations where I didn’t know what to do, he’d talk me through things. We became really close friends and had candid discussions.

“In 2007, I was named general manager, while Ken was named general manager for another coop. I always appreciated his honesty, which was crucial. If Ken didn’t agree, or if I did something wrong, he’d tell me and talk through the situation while keeping our conversations private. We still have very free discussions about anything.

“Another excellent mentor was Paul Clark. He was the grain merchant for CHS in Lewiston. When I was introduced to Paul, he asked what I did in my previous job. When I told him I was a teacher, he said, ‘Oh boy.’ I’ll never forget the look on his face when he said this. Paul was who I tried to model myself after. I could always call him for advice, and we spent a lot of time together personally and professionally. He’d tell it like it was, and I always received Paul’s honest opinion.”

Cory Winstead

General Manager

FS Grain LLC

Morris, IL

In industry since 2009

“My first mentor was my father, Gary Winstead. He started on the floor in the auto industry, and through hard work and long hours, worked his way up to manager.

“He showed me many things over the years but most of all, that hard work and dedication pays off. More importantly, he knew how to treat people.

“In high school, I used to deliver parts to the Mitsubishi plant where he worked. I’ll never forget the day I entered an off-limits area and was very sternly questioned. The individual I was supposed to deliver the parts to came over and asked what was going on. He asked the guy on the forklift, who wasn’t happy with me, if he knew who I was. The individual said ‘No,’ and he was told I was Gary Winstead’s son. He looked at me and said ‘Gary Winstead’s son, huh? He’s the most respected man in this building. Always treats people right and never forgot where he came from. He’s a good man.’ That moment still sticks with me today. I can only hope my team and employees will say the same about me someday.

“Brent Ericson, retired senior vice president of GROWMARK, is a very important mentor and person to me. He taught me so much about the grain business and gave me my first management position within the GROWMARK building.

“Brent invested time in me and guided me throughout my career. He’d constantly challenge me with questions, forcing me to come prepared to every meeting, and this helped me grow my business acumen. A big takeaway from him was the importance of anticipating all possible questions prior to a meeting or situation. One last thing I learned from Brent was to gain understanding of the situation and ask many questions before coming to any conclusion.”

Paul Katovich

General Manager, CEO

Highline Grain Growers

Waterville, WA

In industry since 1996

“Russ Braun was my first boss and managed Stegner Grain in Lewiston, ID. He illustrated an uncommon work ethic. I remember people using the saying, ‘Work smarter, not harder.’ But Russ said you needed to do both if you wanted to get ahead.

“There’s another saying, ‘That’s not in my job description.’ He taught me that doesn’t work in the grain industry. It’s an all-hands-on-deck business model. You have to cover for others when necessary. His response was, ‘Everything’s in your job description.’ We’re here to do everything and anything to get the job done.

“My second mentor was Ron Williams, who was the white wheat merchandiser for Columbia Grain. I learned from all my coworkers, but I learned from Ron how important relationships are in this industry.

“Ron taught me I needed a relationship-focused mindset. We’re very programmatic, not transactional. Every transaction is a deposit or a withdrawal in those relationships, and you want to make more deposits than withdrawals. These are some of the best friends we have for life. That’s what I like about the grain industry.

“Kevin Whitehall was a great mentor. He managed Central Washington Grain Growers and hired me in 2002. Kevin has a John Wayne/tough-love management style with a knack for motivating people to meet his high expectations. To this day, his ability to hold people accountable while still being admired and respected separates him as a leader and role model. Kevin also taught me the multigenerational ‘why’ of a coop – it’s not ours, it’s just our turn, and we are here to serve our neighbors. Every business has customers and shareholders, but in a cooperative, they’re one and the same. Everyone pulls in the same direction.”

Kevin Gray

General Manager, CEO

Morrow County Grain Growers, Inc.

Lexington, OR

In industry since 1989

“Some of my best mentors are my wife, Diane Gray, and my extended family. They encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, to not be content with the status quo, and to try to achieve more. Diane helped me make the best decisions to grow in my career.

“Another great mentor has been Dennis Inman, vice president of Grain at CFS and former location manager for Cargill in Pipestone, MN in the early ‘90s. I worked for Dennis early in my career, and he was a great communicator. He also taught me leadership skills and to not be content with the status quo. Dennis is a good friend, and today we’re also board members of the National Grain and Feed Association.

“Davis Anderson was vice president of grain at GROWMARK in Bloomington, IL, and Eric Gerard was grain business manager there. They were both very strong on creating relationships, and I worked with them as I came into the coop system. They taught me the ‘coop way’ and the value of strong relationships. Interestingly, I’ve also learned much from younger folks in the industry, as well.”