Leadership

Don Pottinger

Chief Executive Officer
 

Don Pottinger has served on many industry boards, including the Canadian Fertilizer Institute, The Fertilizer Institute and as Chair of The Fluid Fertilizer Foundation. He has been recognized for years of involvement in agriculture with the Distinguished Service Award, presented by the Agricultural Retailers Association based in Washington D.C. and the President’s Award, presented by The Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers.

Larry Mackie

Chief Operating Officer
 

Mr. Mackie graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1970 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and has devoted his entire career to working in the nitrogen fertilizer business. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Mackie joined the J.R. Simplot Company and progressed to plant manager and director of the Brandon Manitoba operation. He has experience in all aspects of nitrogen fertilizer plant operations. In 1995, Mr. Mackie started his own consulting business; Mackie International, Inc. Mr. Mackie has been involved in numerous nitrogen plant relocations, equipment failure analysis, plant evaluations and green and brown field developments.

Darin Anderson

President of the Board-Managing Partner
 

Mr. Anderson farms near Valley City, ND, raising corn, soybeans and spring wheat. He earned a degree in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University. Mr. Anderson has a long record of industry and community service, including three terms as president of the North Dakota Corn Growers Association. His service includes terms as chairman of the Northern Corn Development Corporation; chairman and vice chairman of the Barnes County Marketing Club; and, chairman of the Barnes County Crop Improvement Association.

David H. Bednar

Managing Partner
 

Mr. Bednar currently serves as President & CEO of DHB Holdings, Inc., Roseport Resources, LLC and Hy-Energy Systems, LLC. He is also a director in Magnetation, Inc. and Wolf Head Discovery and Mining, LLC. He previously served as President & CEO of Continental Nitrogen & Resources Corporation and Viking Explosives LLC. He served as Chairman of the Institute of Makers of Explosives and as a director in the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the International Society of Explosives Engineers. Mr. Bednar graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 1961 with a degree in Mining Engineering.

Admiral Bill Owens (ret.)

Managing Partner
 

Admiral Owens is chairman of AEA Investors ASIA located in Hong Kong and executive chairman of Prometheus, Beijing. Previously, he was chief executive officer and vice chairman of Nortel Networks. Admiral Owens also serves on several boards of directors. Owens had a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy, including service as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second-ranking military officer in the United States. He is a 1962 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University, and a master’s degree in management from George Washington University.

Bill Whipple

Managing Partner
 

Mr. Whipple incorporates no-till farming practices raising corn and soybeans on his farm. Mr. Whipple earned a degree in animal science from South Dakota State University. He has been a member of the South Dakota Corn Utilization board since 2008. Mr. Whipple also served on the South Dakota Corn Growers Association board and held positions of vice president and chairman. He was also a founding director of Northern Growers LLC.