First Pioneer stockholders re-elect Dickinson, Gilbert, Lyman, and Wells to the board

Stockholder-customers of First Pioneer Farm Credit, ACA, re-elected four northeastern agricultural producers to its board of directors.  As a customer-owned lender dedicated to supporting agriculture, commercial fishing and forest products, these four individuals will continue as part of the 13 member board of directors that provide governance for the cooperative.

• John Dickinson operates Ideal Dairy Farm in Hudson Falls, NY with his wife, Denise, and parents, Nate and Lorraine.  Together they own and manage a 700-cow dairy farm and crop 2,000 acres of farmland.
• Andy Gilbert, a dairy farmer from Potsdam, NY, owns and manages Adon Farms, in partnership with his brother, Tony.  Together, the partners run a 750-cow operation while raising their own replacements, forage, and corn grain.  They also haul their own milk.
• John Lyman III is executive vice president of The Lyman Farm, Inc. in Middlefield, CT, an eighth-generation 1,100-acre diverse family farm, including a 400-acre orchard; a pick-your-own operation; agritainment; a thriving farm market, and an expanding bakery and pie business.
• Lyle Wells operates Wells Homestead Acres in Riverhead, NY with his children Jessica, Matthew, and Logan.  The eleventh-generation operation produces 85 acres of vegetables and cut flowers for sale through a variety of wholesale brokers into local supermarkets, restaurants, and institutions.  The family also markets directly to local farm stands.

“On behalf of the entire First Pioneer family of customers, directors, and employees, I congratulate these outstanding individuals on their re-election,” First Pioneer President and CEO Bill Lipinski said.  “All are proven leaders in their industries and dedicated to keeping First Pioneer at the forefront of successful companies serving Northeast agriculture, commercial fishing, and the forest products industry.” [News release: Download press_release_director_election_results_2008.doc ]