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From left to right: Dr. Charles Ferriera (UVM), Cassie Bromley (Wallingford, VT)
Andrew Whitney (Hardwick, VT), Kelly Richardson (Loan Officer - YFC),
Kaitlin Benoit (Richford, VT)
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The 2013/2014 class of the Farm Credit Fellows program kicked off last week at the Farm Credit East headquarters in Enfield, CT. On Thursday and Friday, April 18th and 19th this year's Fellows program began with twenty-eight students participating from Cornell University, University of Maine at Orono, University of Vermont, and University of Connecticut.
Doug Williams, Managing Director of Administration for the Funding Corporation, and David Sparks, Eastern Region President for CoBank, were on hand to explain how the funding process works and the working relationships they have with the individual ACAs, like Yankee. Tom Moran, President and CEO of Financial Partners Inc. also gave a presentation about FPI's formation and the exciting new technical advances designed to make loan processing more efficient. The day wrapped up with an introduction to a case study and a mock interview with a “customer.”
Day two started off with a discussion with Farm Credit East CEO Bill Lipinski about Farm Credit and the opportunities it provides both as a work place and as a lender. The program then turned back to the case study. The Fellows were split into two groups and given instructions to prepare arguments either for or against the loan. With the help of a group of Farm Credit East employees, known as the Ambassadors, the groups prepared their arguments and made their cases to Loan Committee. It was a tight race this year, but the approvals won over the denials. The day wrapped up with Ben Freund, FCE Director from East Canaan, Connecticut giving a Farm Credit Director’s perspective.
The students will continue with the program throughout the coming year. While each school's program is a little different, the students from Cornell, U of Maine, and UVM will all be spending a week in a Farm Credit office this summer. Next fall they will participate in a classroom setting and will complete projects related to financial management. Check back here on the Yankee ACA blog over the summer to follow the Fellows who visit Yankee as they make their scheduled trips to the different branch offices.
