IARN — The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation announced this week that Joe Johnson will retire on June 1st as the organization’s executive director/secretary-treasurer.
Andrew Wheeler with the Iowa Farm Bureau says Johnson is concluding a 36-year career with IFBF after having served as executive director since 2018. Prior to his current position, Johnson led the Field Service Division of the organization for eight years and was a state policy advisor and regional manager prior to that.
“Over that time, the issues he’s seen, the wealth of knowledge, the understanding of the grassroots process that the Iowa Farm Bureau is all about has truly been inspiring,” Wheeler said. “The employees he’s worked with such as the regional managers and the folks in the country he’s chatted with over the years have all learned from Joe’s expertise. He’s done a wonderful job here with the Farm Bureau.”
“Marty is certainly ready to take over on day one,” Wheeler said. “He’s been with the Iowa Farm Bureau for 16 years. It’s hard to compete with Joe’s 36, but 16 isn’t too shabby at all. He has served for the past few years as the director of field service. That’s a position that Joe Johnson actually held prior to being executive director.”
“This allows Marty the experience to work with the regional managers throughout the state,” Wheeler continued. “He’ll understand the issues in northwest Iowa, southeast Iowa and everything in between. He’ll really be in touch to the members, what their needs are, what their desires are, and what they really need to see the value from the organization.”
Schwager has both undergraduate and master’s degrees from Iowa State University. He and his wife Jolea have three children and reside in Clive, Iowa.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network
Pictured: Joe Johnson of Iowa Farm Bureau (Photo by Iowa Farm Bureau)
