By John Hart
Southeast Farm Press
The CEOs of the various commodity groups are often the unsung heroes of American agriculture. They mostly work behind the scenes on such things as farm policy, trade and regulatory issues, but their contributions certainly make a difference to the farmers they serve.
Two shining examples both retire on Dec. 31: Bob Parker with the National Peanut Board and Dave Ruppenicker with Southern Cotton Growers. The good news is that the successors to both Parker and Ruppenicker are known and respected by peanut farmers and cotton farmers across the Southeast. Ryan Lepicier has been tapped as the National Peanut Board's new president and CEO while Jim Davis will be the next CEO of Southern Cotton Growers.