Rabo AgriFinance Adds Leadership Role to Support Growth

Ag Lending Veteran Shawn Smeins Focuses on Growing Client Experience

 

ST. LOUIS, MO. (May 7, 2019) – To support continuing growth as a leading financial services provider to U.S. farmers, Rabo AgriFinance has expanded its leadership team. The promotion of Shawn Smeins fills a new second-in-command position at Rabo AgriFinance. Smeins is the new deputy head for rural business, North America. 

The deputy role was created to extend consistent rural leadership coverage – now from Curt Hudnutt, head of rural, North America, as well as Smeins – across more initiatives. Smeins will focus on business development and growth initiatives, which include a multi-year plan to create a more streamlined experience for U.S. farms working with Rabo AgriFinance. 

“We have high ambitions,” says Smeins. “I want to help make sure we focus on teamwork and do things consistently to support the business and our clients.”

Smeins has been with Rabo AgriFinance and a legacy company – Ag Services of America in Cedar Falls – since 1993. He’s held roles in operations, risk and business development. Most recently he was the general manager of the company’s central territory. 

Promoted to fill Smeins’ former role as general manager of the central territory, Chris Olson vacates the business development manager position for the Midwest region. Rabo AgriFinance welcomes Chris Berends back to the company to become the Midwest regional business development manager. 

Olson has been with the organization since 1998 and has worked closely with Smeins to transition into the general manager position. Berends has more than 25 years of ag lending experience, 10 of those years previously with Rabo AgriFinance. Smeins and Olson are based in the company’s Cedar Falls, Iowa, office, while Berends works from the Ames, Iowa, location.

To learn more about Rabo AgriFinance and its comprehensive suite of financial solutions, go to www.RaboAg.com. 

Contact
Heather Stettner
Public Relations, Rabo AgriFinance
(308) 385-7968
Heather.Stettner@RaboAg.com 

About Rabo AgriFinance
As a leading financial services provider for agricultural producers and agribusinesses in the United States, Rabo AgriFinance adds value using industry expertise, client-focused solutions, and by creating long-term business relationships. Rabo AgriFinance offers a comprehensive portfolio of services that gives producers the right products to prepare for, and take advantage of, market opportunities. This comprehensive suite of services includes loans, insurance, input finance and effective risk management products. Rabo AgriFinance is a subsidiary of Rabobank, a premier bank to the global agriculture industry and one of the world’s largest and strongest banks. Rabobank is an equal opportunity provider.

# # #