New president sets goals, plans new technology committee

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Establishing a new technology committee is one of several goals set by Russell Hiatt, the new president of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

“Social media, reaching out to the world of agriculture and how we promote our services is technology and we don’t have a technology committee,” said Hiatt during the annual meeting of the organization where he was elected president.

“If we want to reach out to people we better figure out the technology side,” he said. “It will probably be a committee of five and it will include some of our university people who have resources for technology and some of our young people.”

In addition to Hiatt, the officer team includes: Elizabeth Strom, president-elect; Michael Lauher, vice president; Gary Schnitkey, secretary/treasurer; Maria Boerngen, academic vice president; and Kent Reid, immediate past president.

Hiatt together with his brother, Rick, own Hiatt Farmland Services with offices in Champaign, Danville and Pontiac.

“We’ve been in business together for four years, but I’ve been in farm management for 42 years,” he said. “We both started in the banking environment and now we do consulting work, farm management work, commercial property management and we broker farm real estate.”

Serving as the president of the state organization is a way for Hiatt to help others.

“Our family has always been a family that says you’re a benefactor of somebody else’s work that helped you get started in your career,” he said. “So, when you have the opportunity, you give back and help someone else.”

The new president has been involved with both the American Society and the Illinois chapter for over 40 years.

“When I was invited to step into chair, which is a four-year commitment, I said yes,” Hiatt said. “For our chapter, you start as vice president, then president-elect, president and past president.”

Leading the statewide group, Hiatt said, is a lot of work.

“You don’t do it for the notoriety. You do it because you love what you’re doing and you want to give back to the people who have already given to you,” he said.

“Someone was president of this organization when I was getting started. I’m honored this chapter selected me as president and I’ll try to do the best I can.”

Along with establishing a new technology committee, Hiatt talked about several other goals he has set to accomplish during the upcoming year for the chapter.

“We want to implement a program where we have a mentor for one to three years for every new member that comes into our chapter,” he said. “We want them to have someone to go to for questions and be able to plug into the system that sometimes can be overwhelming.”

Hiatt would like the ISPFMRA to provide more continuing education for farm management, appraisals and consulting.

“When we asked the membership why they participate in the Illinois chapter, the No. 1 comment is education,” he said. “We heard you and we’re working already as a board to bring more education so all disciplines can advance in their knowledge.”

The strength of the Illinois chapter is the committee work, Hiatt said.

“We want to engage the committee members more by attending some of the board meetings by zoom or in person,” he said. “We want them to give us an update of what their committee is working on, what their needs are and what direction they want to go to help us plan for the future.”

Hiatt plans to expand the relationship of the Illinois chapter with state universities and reach out to community colleges.

“We’d also like to reach out to professional organizations like Farm Business Farm Management and sponsors to increase sponsorship by four new sponsors in 2023,” he said.

For membership, the goal for ISPFMRA is to add 15 new members to the organization each year.

“We would like to have a roundtable that includes a cross section of farm managers, rural appraisers and consultants to talk about what we think we will look like as an organization, profession and individuals working in the field 10 years from now,” Hiatt said.

“I’d like you to join me in the next 12 months on a path to success for this chapter,” he said. “I’m up to the challenge and I hope you are, too.”

For more information about the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, go to www.ispfrmra.org.