January 2025 – Embracing New Opportunities and Leadership

As we turn the page into a new chapter at AGRI-SEARCH, we are excited to announce two key leadership changes that will help us continue driving success and delivering excellence to the agricultural industry.

We are happy to share the promotions of Chelbi Alt to Director of Business Operations and Brad Jansen to Director of Recruiting, both reporting directly to Dave Allen. These two leaders embody the core values that AGRI-SEARCH stands for, and their combined strengths position us to thrive in the years ahead.

Chelbi Alt, our new Director of Business Operations, brings 19 years of experience in the agricultural industry, including five years with AGRI-SEARCH. Since joining us in 2019, Chelbi has taken on a variety of projects that extend beyond recruiting, fueled by her passion for process improvement and change management.

Chelbi has dug into the details of our business and the recruiting industry. Her commitment to our team’s overall success earned her the “Teammate of the Year” award in 2024. We value her desire to help our team members achieve both their daily objectives and long-term goals.

As Director of Business Operations, Chelbi will play a pivotal role in streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring our team has the tools and strategies needed to excel.

Brad Jansen steps into his new role as Director of Recruiting with over a decade of experience in the grain business, where he excelled in operations, management, and merchandising. For the past five years, Brad has been a trusted recruiter, earning a reputation for his ability to “connect the dots” by matching good people with great companies.

His knack for understanding the needs of both clients and candidates is unparalleled, making him a valuable asset to our team. Brad’s dedication and results-driven approach earned him the “Recruiter of the Year” award in 2024, and we are confident he will continue to raise the bar for success within our recruiting team.

A natural leader who is deeply respected within AGRI-SEARCH and the broader agricultural community, Brad’s vision and expertise will ensure we remain a trusted partner to the industry we proudly serve.

At AGRI-SEARCH, we often refer to Brad and Chelbi as “Yin and Yang.” Their personalities and strengths complement one another well. While Brad’s expertise lies in building connections and driving recruitment success, Chelbi’s focus on operational excellence and change management ensures the entire team is set up for long-term growth and achievement.

The future of AGRI-SEARCH is bright, and we couldn’t be more excited about the path ahead. We are confident our team will continue to serve the agricultural industry with the integrity, passion, and excellence that have been our hallmark.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our staff is committed to bringing top-tier talent to our clients. Open positions change daily, but the need for quality people is constant in every successful business.

Highlighted below are some of our current open positions. If interested in having us assist you in landing talent for one of your positions, or if one of these opportunities looks attractive to you or someone you know, please contact us.

6261, EHS Coordinator, Idaho

A successful feed miller and trade organization is seeking a knowledgeable and hands-on EHS Coordinator to support their Idaho facilities. In this position you are responsible for all environmental, health, and safety regulatory compliance and programs. To be a true asset, you must drive safe and opportunistic curiosity to create a healthy environment where others want to work. If you’re looking to work for an organization that provides growth, stability, and great benefits, then this is the role for you!

2077, Maintenance Electrician, Wisconsin

A successful and respected grain company in Wisconsin is adding a Maintenance Electrician to oversee all facets of electrical work at all their facilities. The successful candidate will travel to facilities as needed and depending on the task at hand, use their talents to either work alone or side by side other team members to accomplish it.

3964, Agronomy Plant Manager, Indiana

We are seeking a Location Manager for an agronomy retail plant located in southwestern Indiana. This location has a great reputation for service and is the preferred retail location in the area. The staff at the plant are highly respected by the farmers in the region. This respect has led to a much higher level of sales. The increased acreage and sales have prompted the current manager to move into a strictly sales role.

6260, Education and Market Research Manager, Illinois

A Chicago-based agricultural risk management company is seeking a motivated and team-oriented associate to join their Education and Market Research Team. This role is ideal for someone with excellent problem-solving and communication skills. Primary responsibilities include delivering educational content to groups around the country in a live format and conducting research projects. 

4126, Senior Controller, Arizona

We’re partnering with a well-established, family-focused company in Southwest Arizona seeking a Senior Controller to join their growing farming operation. This is a unique chance to step into a senior management role, overseeing financial operations and contributing to a dynamic, agriculture-based business. If you have strong finance experience and are looking for a collaborative, team-oriented environment with room for personal and professional growth, this could be the perfect fit!

5854, Grain Operations Manager, Central Illinois

A stable and successful Central Illinois grain company is seeking a hands-on Grain Operations Manager to lead the operations at a key truck and rail elevator location. Responsibilities will include housekeeping, preventative maintenance, grain drying, conditioning and quality, and restaging grain for shipments along with supervising one to seven operations staff.

5837, Commodity Merchandiser, Idaho

Are you looking for a fantastic culture and team environment in the PNW?  An established grain company is looking to expand their team and add an individual with good communication skills and knowledge of trading rules and regulations.

3951, Agronomy Location Manager, Michigan

Seeking an opportunity to grow and be a part of a culture that cares about their team? Then this opportunity is for you. In this role, you’ll be key for leading and unifying a team to work with established customers and coordinating facility operations. Ensuring quality products and services are a top priority for this outstanding organization. Wanting to live in a beautiful and ideal part of Michigan? Then apply to discuss this opportunity further. 

5853, Grain Location Manager, Wisconsin

A thriving grain company is offering an attractive Grain Location Manager opportunity in Wisconsin for a highly motivated leader who has grain merchandising and origination experience and successful people management skills. This individual must be creative in finding solutions to move the business profitably forward and figuring out and solving challenges as they arise.

3963, Territory Sales Manager, Hybrid Role

An established soil health and livestock nutrient company is seeking a Territory Sales Manager. This is a hybrid role and could be based in Indiana, Ohio, or Illinois. This career opportunity is geared to a road warrior who enjoys being on the road 75% of the time. You will be responsible for direct sales to the customer and recruiting and managing a dealer network.

6252, Director of Sales, Kansas

Historically successful and profitable multi-location Kansas feed company is seeking a Director of Sales to expand upon the strong foundation already in place and help build and carry out the vision for the future.

For this company, feed is their priority and the sole focus of their business. They have great assets, great people, a wide range of customers in a large trade territory and are well positioned to continue to grow and be more successful. There is ample opportunity for growth and great resources to build the company up to take it to the next level.

4125, Tax Partner, Arizona

Join a rapidly growing accounting firm as a Tax Partner, focusing on serving agricultural clients, including family farming businesses. This unique leadership role offers the chance to take over an established client base while building new relationships in the agricultural sector. Ideal for a CPA with strong business development skills, this position offers a fast track to equity partnership and an opportunity to shape the firm’s future.

2075, Millwright Manager, Nebraska

A leading grain company is seeking an experienced Millwright Manager to join their team in both their Nebraska and Texas locations. The successful candidate will have over 10 years of millwright experience and will be responsible for leading and managing five millwright crews, ensuring high-quality performance and adherence to safety standards.

5845, Grain Marketing Consultant, Northern Illinois

A reputable risk management company in northern Illinois is seeking an experienced Grain Marketing Consultant to join their growing team. This company prides itself on offering an excellent work-life balance for their team members while providing top notch service to their clients.

Our job as professional recruiters is to identify, attract, evaluate, and help our clients land top talent for their team. We are constantly working with quality individuals who are positioned for growth in their career and are open to or actively seeking to make a change.

If your team is seeking talent to make a positive difference in your ability to serve your customers, reach out to us and see if it is something we can assist you with.

Talented Candidates

Listed below are just a sampling of the talented candidates we have evaluated recently. If you would like to learn more about these or other candidates we have available, please contact us.

Grain Merchandisers, Originators and Traders who are diversely talented, passionate and looking for new challenges. Some desire to work remotely. 

GM’s and CEO’s – we work with a variety of industry leaders seeking key management positions. Contact us about finding the right leader capable of taking your agricultural business to the next level.

Do you have a wealth of industry knowledge, several years’ experience in the ag industry, and a network of peers you enjoy engaging with? Do you have the grit to not give up and stay true to the course, no matter how difficult it may be? Are you competitive and possess a strong sales mentality where every “no” is just one step closer to a “yes”?
If so, and you have a passion for connecting with and helping people to go along with your strong agricultural industry background in agronomy, grain, accounting, safety, or other areas, please contact Dave Allen. We would enjoy having a discussion with you about how a recruiting career may be a great fit for you.

Founded in 1995, AGRI-SEARCH is a professional recruiting firm providing clients with customized recruiting solutions in various niches within the agricultural industry. Our success results from our industry focus, our specialized approach to recruiting, and our staff’s lifelong roots in, dedication to, and vast understanding and knowledge of the agricultural industry.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our mission states that we “are committed to serving the agricultural industry with integrity, passion and excellence by assisting our candidates to reach their career goals and helping our client companies build successful teams.”