ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, U.S. — Jerry Hasnedl, a St. Hilaire, Minnesota, U.S., farmer and long-time director, has been elected chairman of the board of CHS Inc., the company announced on Dec. 9.

Hasnedl was selected during the 17-member board's yearly reorganization meeting which followed the company's 2011 annual meeting on Dec. 8. He succeeds Michael Toelle, a Browns Valley, Minnesota, U.S., farmer who held the post for nine years.

"I look forward to leading the board as CHS continues to implement its long-term strategy of adding value for its producer and member cooperative owners in the energy, grains and foods businesses," Hasnedl said.

Hasnedl has served on the board since 1995. During 2011, he was its secretary-treasurer and also chaired the board's Capital Committee. He is a member and past director of Northwest Grain, a locally governed CHS retail business, and serves on the board of the Cooperative Network. He raises wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, canola and alfalfa on a family farm near St. Hilaire. Hasnedl has an associate's degree in agricultural economics and a certification in advanced farm business management from Northland College, Thief River Falls, Minnesota, U.S.

Also elected to one-year board leadership terms were:

• First vice-chairman, Dan Schurr, LeClaire, Iowa, U.S., who has served on the board since 2006.
• Secretary-treasurer, Steve Fritel, Rugby, North Dakota, U.S., first elected to the board in 2003.
• Second vice-chairman, Dennis Carlson, Mandan, North Dakota, U.S., who joined the board in 2001.
• Assistant secretary-treasurer, David Bielenberg, Silverton, Oregon, U.S., has served on the board from 2002-2006 and from 2009 to the present.

During the annual meeting, delegates elected two new directors and re-elected five others to three-year terms on the CHS Board.

Edward Malesich, 59, of Dillon, Montana, U.S., will represent members in Montana and Wyoming. He succeeds Richard Owen of Geraldine, Montanan, U.S., who served since 1999. Malesich has served 12 years on the board of Rocky Mountain Supply Inc., Belgrade, Montana, U.S., and currently is vice-chairman. He also has served for 13 years on the board of Northwest Farm Credit Services, Spokane, Washington, U.S., an $8 billion financial operation. He raises Angus cattle, wheat, malt barley and hay on nearly 19,000 acres. Malesich has a bachelor's degree in agricultural production from Montana State University

Jon Erickson of Minot, North Dakota, U.S., will represent members in that state. He succeeds Bruce Anderson of Glenburn, North Dakota, U.S., who retired after 16 years. Erickson is past chairman of Enerbase, a Minot energy and agricultural supply cooperative, and is active in a wide range of agricultural and community organizations. He raises small grains, oilseeds and operates a commercial Hereford/Angus cow-calf business. Erickson, 51, has a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from North Dakota State University.

Re-elected were Hasnedl, Schurr, C.J. Blew of Moundridge, Kansas, U.S., who was elected in 2010; Curt Eischens of Minneota, Minnesota, U.S., who has served since 1990; and Greg Kruger of Eleva, Wisconsin, U.S., who joined the board in 2008.

All CHS directors are agribusiness professionals elected by the cooperative's member-owners. They represent diverse agricultural, financial and cooperative experiences. Each CHS director, including the newly elected officer slate, completes comprehensive director professionalism training and certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors.