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Living out our value of cooperative spirit, employees across CHS came together to celebrate Earth Month. Some groups gave back to local communities through trash clean up, tree planting and tending to community gardens. Others took to electronic recycling, led by our IT team, or heard from a panel of farmers about how they’re thinking about sustainability on their operations. We're proud to see these examples of cooperative spirit in action.
Beau Aroonpol joined CHS two years ago as director of financial planning and analysis for the go-to-market team. She found a passion for customer service in agriculture. Her father and brothers are mechanics in Thailand. When she was younger, she helped build their business, which includes repairing farm equipment for rice growers. "Even then, my head was all about, 'How can we help our customers?' I knew that when we help farmers and other customers with solutions, that's how we earn their business," she recalls. "At CHS, there's the same focus on providing solutions." "I enjoy collaborating closely with leaders across CHS to translate data into actionable strategies and help everyone successfully navigate the complexity of growth and change together." Leadership is more than technical expertise and never a solo endeavor, she says. "It’s about building strong partnerships, fostering collaboration and maintaining an unwavering focus on the big picture."
“What I love about working in the cooperative system is you never know what your day’s going to look like, but everyone is ready to jump in and do what’s needed to get the job done," says Josh Sykora, a certified energy specialist with Synergy Cooperative, based in Elk Mound, Wis. "When we’re out in the field, we’re helping our customers get the tools they need to keep their businesses up and running.” Sykora joined Synergy in 2019. As Synergy’s sales team lead, Sykora splits his time between sales and helping his team find efficiencies that can benefit customers and the cooperative. He was recently recognized by his peers and CHS energy leadership for his collaborative nature, dedication to deliver for his customers and passion to support the next generation of talent.
Farms and other rural businesses in the U.S., are vital to helping feed the world. To help accelerate their growth, CHS Capital provides a variety of solutions. Steve Englund leads CHS Capital and works to meet the financing needs of producers and commercial customers. He’s been with CHS since 2012 and he has been in several roles in risk management for us and at his previous career stops. “I enjoy working with farmers and the cooperatives that serve them because of their deeply rooted values in local communities and their global impact in helping to feed the world,” he says. CHS Capital offers solutions ranging from convenient farm input loans to financing that helps refresh convenience stores in communities. “We provide competitive finance products that are risk appropriate and easy to use,” says Englund. “Securing affordable financing is crucial to the long-term success and growth of farmers, ranchers and the cooperatives that serve rural America. Access to relevant financing options and in-depth ag lending expertise makes a real difference.
Agronomist Jerome Benish says he loves helping farmers succeed by supporting them in every crop production step from planning through grain marketing. A member of the CHS High Plains agronomy team, Benish is based in Yuma, Colo. “My job’s not just helping my customers grow things, but helping them make the right decisions,” Benish says. “We help feed a lot of people.”
We're honored to be recognized as one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies. This recognition reflects our commitment to operating with integrity and conducting business in an ethical manner. CHS could not have achieved this incredible milestone without our employees’ efforts to bring our core value of integrity to life every day through their interactions with our owners, customers and communities.
Kristi Colbert has been a part of CHS for over ten years in roles across corporate development, corporate strategy and most recently, energy operations. In her strategy role, she could see all aspects of the business at a high level. Now in operations, she's diving deeper in one part of the business and getting closer to customers. One of the challenges about working at CHS is the variety and vastness of the business, she says. "However, this challenge makes the work exciting and full of opportunities for learning and growth." "By continuously learning and adapting, I turned the challenges into chances to expand my knowledge and skills, ultimately making my work more rewarding."
One way we empower future leaders is fostering learning and development. Three CHS interns attended and presented examples of their work at the Gateway to Ag Careers conference in Austin, Texas. The group was accompanied by Jeroen Hoogendoorn, vice president, IT business partner, CHS. “All three used their voice, radiated confidence, showed up calm and collected and brought impressive examples of their work, relevant to the ag industry that resonated with the audience,” says Hoogendoorn. Gateway to Ag Careers is a program of AgGateway, which develops resources and relationships that drive digital connectivity in global agriculture and related industries. The conference provides students with opportunities to engage with industry professionals, participate in education sessions and explore career pathways.
Looking to make a difference in rural America? Join our team at CHS. Our people serve rural communities with roles in the field, on the road and at the office. We have variety of a seasonal opportunities including CDL drivers, operations specialists, custom applicators and scale operators. Learn more and apply online at: https://jobs.chsinc.com.
Through videos and photos, James Pieper takes people who find and follow his Instagram account along on his journey as a young farmer and cooperative owner in Minnesota. “Oftentimes our story is getting told by folks who sometimes don't have the farmer’s best interest in mind or have an overly cynical viewpoint,” he says. "I think it's really important for the farmer to have a voice in that conversation.” Hear more about how and why he chooses to tell his farm story on social media in the latest episode of the "It Takes a Co-op" podcast
