Additions Strengthen Banking, Agriculture Expertise
St. Paul, Minnesota – June 25, 2020 – FarmOp Capital’s growth over the last two years has led to an expanding leadership team full of industry expertise. FarmOp, an ag lender with an all-in approach to success for farm enterprises, provides operating loans backed with a sense of certainty and risk mitigation – a strategy that ultimately positions farmers well into the future.
Because they provide financing earlier in a farm’s decision-making process, FarmOp is moving rapidly towards its 2021 lending cycle. FarmOp announced a number of additions and promotions as it looks to expand its reach into a 21-state footprint next year.
“We’ve built a staff that is hungry for progress in ag lending, hungry to meet needs of customers dinged by traditional lenders for not having enough hard assets. And, hungry to help eliminate financial implications related to timing of working capital loans across the country,” says Keir Renick, Chief Financial Officer co-founder of FarmOp Capital. “We are looking to streamline processes and provide structured finance options for farmers who juggle enough variables already.”
The additions and promotions include:
• Toby Hayek, chief lending officer. Hayek brings more than 20 years of lending experience to his role, with the majority of his career having been spent with RaboAgrifinance. Hayek will lead the loan origination process, overseeing sales and marketing aspects of the business. Hayek’s team will include leadership from vice-presidents of business development Rick Snyder and Bob Timm.
• Tony Champion and Chris Armstrong as co-heads of credit. Champion joined FarmOp in early 2020 from CHS, where he served in a number for credit-related roles. Armstrong has been on the team since 2019, bringing experience with CoBank and U.S. Bank to his role.
• Katie Damberg, managing director of finance. Damberg brings over 25 years of asset-backed capital markets, lending, and asset management experience, most recently as a senior managing director within the Blackstone Residential Trust. Damberg’s responsibilities will include overseeing the financial aspects of the business, such as financial strategy, investor reporting, and hedging.
• Anne Helmer, VP customer success. A FarmOp veteran, Anne was promoted to VP customer success based on her background and history with FarmOp customers. Helmer will focus on ensuring customers understand FarmOp’s role as their farm success specialist.
• Dan Potts, VP risk management. Potts joined FarmOp in early 2020, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge of the crop insurance industry, an important sector in FarmOp’s model. Potts will be responsible for advising and managing risk throughout FarmOp’s financial portfolio.
“We’re excited about the momentum we have with this leadership team moving into 2020,” says Renick. “We’re prepared to align with the farmer mindset and be all-in on their success and that includes our whole team pushing us through.”
In addition to leadership, FarmOp Capital is expanding a number of positions within the varying teams. To learn of remote and corporate opportunities, visit FarmOp.com.
FarmOp Capital is a production-based lender that focuses on farmers who have a solid history of crop production and good credit. Efficient, profitable producers looking for more flexibility and a bit of certainty find FarmOp Capital a refreshing, modern approach to working capital. The size, scope and timing of FarmOp’s loan offerings increase an operator’s efficiencies and negotiation power. FarmOp Capital was built with the farm operator in mind and provides a commitment to their success unlike any other lender. To learn more, visit www.FarmOp.com.
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For Media Inquiries:
Kayla Hedrick
(309)657-1858
media@foc.ag