A highlight of the 2008 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, was the presentation of the “Chairman’s Service Award” to Ron Farrell, retiring President & CEO of AgGateway, for his outstanding service to AgGateway and the Agriculture industry.
Ron, who was born in Storm Lake, Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Agronomy, has had a long and illustrious career in agriculture. Always a farmer at heart, Ron worked for several ag-based companies over the years, including Union Carbide Ag Chemicals, Shell Chemicals, Brayton Chemicals, and Wilbur-Ellis. Additionally, Ron has been a farmer and operates his own business, Farrell Growth Group.
In 1998, Ron became Executive Director and President of RAPID, Inc., the predecessor to AgGateway. Under his leadership great strides were made in eBusiness within the agriculture industry from which many AgGateway members have benefited significantly. We count among Ron’s numerous accomplishments:
—Transition of RAPID from a for-profit company to a successful non-profit organization
—Creation of ecommerce standards that are now widely accepted in agriculture
—Establishment of a collaborative partnership with CIDX (the chemical industry standards group) for standards development and maintenance
—Consolidation of three disparate databases into one central industry directory (Ag Industry Identification System) to enable effective electronic trade in the crop protection industry
—Implementation of the AEC (Accelerated Electronic Connectivity) project for the Crop Protection industry
—Formation of AgGateway to expand the use of standards and tools developed by RAPID to the agricultural community at large
For the past two years, Ron has dedicated himself to making AgGateway “work”. Serving as Chief Executive Officer and President, he has guided AgGateway to a successful beginning and has established a firm foundation for AgGateway’s future. Those of us who have worked closely with Ron over the years know that he is a man of quality, integrity, and outstanding character.
We are extremely fortunate to have experienced Ron’s leadership and friendship. We will continue to enjoy that good fortune as Ron has agreed to stay on in a limited advisory role with AgGateway. We are certain that Ron will continue to stay active in the agriculture community. If you should happen to encounter him at a meeting, please take the time to thank him for his service to AgGateway and to agriculture as a whole. Thank you, Ron!