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OFBF undergoes internal restructuring

By Seth Teter

In an attempt to move the organization from "good to great," OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher has led a reorganization of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation state office.

In doing so, the office has combined its five departments into three primary divisions of responsibility. They will be headed by three senior vice presidents: Keith Stimpert, OFBF senior vice president of public policy; Kurt Ely, OFBF senior vice president of communications and Bob Vance, OFBF senior vice president of corporate.

OFBF has also returned to its previous structure of four state regions (see story on page 4).

While Fisher was charged with facilitating the change, he said he looked to Farm Bureau members for guidance.

"By their actions and input, our members have made their needs evident," he said.

What was formerly government affairs and agricultural ecology has been merged into the public policy department.

"We are seeking enhancements in policy development, policy implementation and political involvement," Stimpert said. "We have some tremendously talented lobbyists and experts on issues critical to our membership."

Stimpert said agricultural ecology remains a value inherent in all that OFBF will do.

The former information and field services units are now combined in the communications department.

"Member acquisition, member engagement and member approval will continue to be our primary focus. With the restructuring, we will be better positioned to utilize marketing and communication efforts to engage both farm and nonfarm audiences," Ely said.

Vance will continue his leadership in the corporate department's administrative duties including finance and asset management, human resources, information technology, business development and the OFB Foundation.

Fisher was quick to point out that the reorganization was not a response to a crisis, but a plan for the future.

"The challenge in going forward is to have an understanding that the status quo won't be good enough a few years down the road," he said.

Fisher said the reorganization will help the state office operate with focus and efficiency.

He approached the change with three questions in mind: What is OFBF passionate about, what is it best at and what are its resources?

For Fisher, the answer to the first question was obvious.

"We are passionate about farmers, the industry of agriculture and the quality of rural life," he said.

Fisher also identified Farm Bureau's long record of success in the public policy arena.

"There is no one better able to be the collective voice of Ohio agriculture – to be an effective advocate with elected officials, the public and with other constituencies who need to hear and understand agriculture’s message," he said.

All of this was weighed against OFBF's volunteer, staff and financial resources.

Fisher said Farm Bureau needed to adjust because the economics of agriculture, the public's perceptions and expectations and government are all changing.

"The question is, does your organization ignore the changing environment, or do we instead position ourselves to prosper," he said.

Some job descriptions were changed in response to a clearer workload focus, and several OFBF staff members have been named to senior director positions. They include: Rocky Black, policy and political affairs; Joe Cornely, corporate communications; Larry Gearhardt, local affairs; Pat Petzel, consumer communications; Dan Rapp, business development; David Rule, human resources and technology; Adam Sharp, national and regulatory affairs; and David White, policy research and development.