The American Peanut Council has named a new chair to lead its Board of Directors. Georgia grower Donald Chase, owner of Chase Farms, will serve the 2024 term. He was elected at APC’s Board of Directors meeting during the organization’s annual Insights Summit conference in Washington, D.C.

Chase, together with his wife, Michelle, and parents grow peanuts, corn and sweet corn on 600 acres of irrigated land. Chase Farms also produces poultry.

“We are thrilled to have Donald at the helm of APC’s board of directors,” said APC President and CEO Richard Owen. “His passion for the peanut industry, growers, peanut sustainability and research is unequivocal.”

“Donald is highly respected in the industry, as seen reflected by his many leadership roles in various peanut organizations. He is always looking to the future and how we can better the peanut industry to lower cost of production and improve sustainability,” added Owen.

Chase serves on the board of the Georgia Peanut Commission and several other peanut organizations, as well as on the board of Flint Energies. He is the immediate past chairman of APC’s sustainability committee and immediate past vice chair of APC’s Board of Directors. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Adventist University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

“The American Peanut Council has a rich history of moving the peanut industry forward through collaboration,” said Chase. “I am confident that if the industry continues these collaborative efforts and the momentum we can make great strides, and I am excited to play a role in helping as chairman for the coming year.”

Chase succeeds 2023 APC Chair Collins McNeil, president of M.C. McNeill & Co.

APC’s 2024 elected board officers include:

• Chair: Donald Chase,
• Vice Chair: Anne-Marie DeLorenzo, Mars Wrigley
• Secretary/Treasurer: Clint Piper, Golden Peanut

APC’s 2024 executive committee includes:

Greg Baltz, National Peanut Board

Tim Burch, Georgia Peanut Commission

Dell Cotton, Peanut Growers Cooperative Marketing Association

Greg Harnish, Birdsong Peanuts

Lauren Marcinkoski, Luray Peanut Company

Collins McNeill, McNeill & Company

Patricia Moody, OFI

John Powell, American Peanut Shellers Association

Brian Reed, The JM Smucker Company

Rachel Santos, Premium Peanut

Joel Sirmon, Alabama Peanut Producers Association

Larry Don Womack, Texas Peanut Producers Board

“I continue to be amazed at the dedication of so many leaders across our peanut communities to voluntarily give their time, energy and talents to move us forward,” concluded Chase. “There are both challenges and opportunities in our industry and I believe that progress will be made through open and honest discussions. My experience with the sustainability committee has confirmed this and has shown me that we can achieve even more success when we put our heads together.”