JUSTIN TROMPKE
CEO
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Time is limited, especially for an ag producer, and Justin’s strongest asset is his ability to communicate efficiently with his customers. He sees the value a written marketing plan can bring to an operation and has dedicated his career to building strong relationships. He brings to his customers a background in irrigation sales/service, along with a degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
CHRIS FAHRENBRUCH
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Starting as AgWest’s Buyer Relations Manager before moving to a Broker/CA role, Chris incorporates his experience working with commercials to each producer he serves. His background on their family farm and an Ag Economics degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln allow him to build strong professional partnerships with customers.
JOSH FRIZZELL
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Wearing a merchandiser’s hat for over a decade, Josh has witnessed the emotional connection farmers feel for the crop they’re raising. With degrees from UNK in Ag Business and Business Administration-Marketing he’s dedicated to top-level customer service, helping clients build and follow through with their production marketing plan.
IVAN ZIEG
GRETNA BRANCH MANAGER
DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE AND TRAINING
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
GRETNA, NE
After years of fine-tuning his approach to sharing AgWest’s programs with potential clients, as well as fostering life-long customer relationships, Ivan now manages the Gretna office and our Emerging Broker group. His in-depth understanding of the unique skill-set required to help producers make him well-suited for his role. Learn More
RUSS HOPWOOD
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
GRETNA, NE
20 years of experience as a broker allows Russ to see the many benefits to risk management and structured marketing. Prior to receiving a degree from Doane, he was raised on his family’s hog operation in Eastern Nebraska where he learned the hard work production agriculture requires. He now brings that same level of dedication to his customers.
JOEL GOCKLEY
IMPERIAL BRANCH MANAGER
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
IMPERIAL, NE
Joel is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor degree in Agronomy and a minor in Crop Production. Joel possesses a solid understanding of area growers and producers’ needs with fifteen years of service as both a crop consultant and in the retail fertilizer/chemical sectors. Joel is well aware of the factors regarding the input side of agriculture and the importance of customer service. He thoroughly enjoys assisting his customers with their marketing, as he leads the Imperial office.
STEVE SUGDEN
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
BEATRICE, NE
Actively farming with his family in Southeast Nebraska, Steve faces the same challenges in production and, most importantly, marketing that his customers do. After serving in the Nebraska Army National Guard, he studied agriculture in college, receiving a management degree from Doane. His strong current ag involvement and military roots, along with his experience from serving on various boards in the rural community, allow him to work well with producers.
JASON BOHLKE
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
SUTTON, NE
Jason has seen firsthand the dedication to hard work running a successful ag operation requires and the importance of a plan to effectively market in today's volatile environment. After returning the his family’s farm with a business degree from Nebraska Wesleyan he learned his favorite part of farming was trading the markets, unlike many producers! As part of the AgWest team he now puts that passion to work on behalf of his customers, allowing them to focus more on the production side of things.
CRAIG POYSER
HOLDREGE BRANCH MANAGER
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Craig’s key strength is his ability to recognize the risk factors of production agriculture after spending 18 years in the retail fertilizer and chemical business before joining AgWest. His goal is to partner with customers to preserve and enhance profitability through risk management and sales execution techniques. Building life-long relationships, Craig enjoys getting to know each operation on an individual level and creating customized marketing plans to fit their needs.
MIKE PELSTER
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Since joining AgWest in 2010, Mike enjoys assisting producers in the navigation of the ever-changing and completely humbling world of commodity markets. Although his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Nebraska at Kearney didn’t specifically prepare him for assisting producers with the development and execution of their marketing plans, Mike credits those with expanding his passion for learning new things and thinking outside the box.
JUSTIN ROPERS
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Beginning his career at AgWest in our Buyer Relations Department, before becoming a broker, gave Justin a unique understanding of the commercial side of the business. With a drive to see producers succeed, he worked for an agronomy flying service before receiving an Ag Business degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
DALE JERGENSEN
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
GRETNA, NE
As one of our most market-savvy and highly experienced brokers, Dale brings a wealth of knowledge to our team. Raised on a farm in north central Iowa, he holds a Bachelor's degree in Biometry (Statistics & Agriculture) and a Master's degree in Ag Economics (Finance and Marketing), from Iowa State University. Spending his entire career in the markets, he worked in Chicago in the the early 1980's and ran a trading desk in Australia. His understanding runs the spectrum from agricultural futures to global currencies and equities trading. He has extensive experience trading options and a solid understanding of their role for the producer hedger.
TODD HENKE
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
GRETNA, NE
Todd brings to the AgWest team an extensive career in agriculture where he most recently managed the grain department and worked closely with producers as the lead merchandiser for an area cooperative. He’s excited to partner directly with farmers to help them with their marketing in any way he can.
ASHLEY ESKEW
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR ASSOCIATE
IMPERIAL, NE
Ashley brings years of customer service experience to AgWest after working for a local agronomy firm and telephone company as well. Those positions, along with active involvement in production agriculture with her family, give her a passion to see the farmer succeed. She can relate with a customer’s struggles and works hard to effectively communicate the execution their marketing plan requires to manage risk.
Kyle Knoche
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
BEATRICE, NE
Kyle understands a successful operation requires hard work, day in and day out, and the importance of marketing. Running a cow/calf herd himself gives him the first-hand experience of what it looks like to be able to help a neighbor in need and he brings that attitude to the AgWest team. Past experience in ag radio sales, along with an interest in commodity markets, give him a solid foundation to partner with ag producers.
DAVID H. BOHM
RPM PROGRAM DIRECTOR
CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
Cash markets are David’s specialty after spending over 20 years managing grain elevators. He joined Steve Knuth to start AgWest’s RPM Program in 2002, bringing on board his vast knowledge of the commercial side of this industry and an understanding that the hardest part of farming for the producer can be selling the actual grain. Learn More
DENNIS MACFEE
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
HOLDREGE, NE
From a large commercial feed yard to an agronomy retailer, and active involvement on their family farm, Dennis has had his hands in production agriculture his entire life. His background has instilled the belief that bringing value along with attention to detail to a partnership with a customer is critical in building a solid working relationship.
FAITH PIERCE
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR ASSOCIATE
HOLDREGE, NE
Faith's strong background in the the grain business and years of experience perfecting the top-level customer service the ag industry requires makes her a strong asset to the AgWest leadership and entire team.
JED MOON
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
GRETNA, NE
Jed strives to partner with producers to set goals for their farming operation and develop steps to achieve them. With an Ag Economics degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a family farm upbringing as well, he’s passionate about keeping family farms around for generations to come. He sees the impact a customized marketing plan can make in that goal for an operation to succeed and specializes in building strong relationships to help execute those plans.
KALE GOCKLEY
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
IMPERIAL, NE
Passionate about helping his customers manage their risk, along with a deep interest in the technical side of the markets, make Kale a great broker and cash advisor. With a bachelor’s degree in Ag Business from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and several years of hands-on experience from the livestock and row crop production side, he can relate to the challenges producers face.
GORDY NUSS
SUTTON BRANCH MANAGER
BROKER / CASH ADVISOR
SUTTON, NE
Gordy will say he is most proud to be part of AgWest because of the work we’re able to do to actually help producers. Operating his own farrow-to-finish hog business and farm for years prior to partnering with Steve Knuth to open AgWest’s first branch office in 2000, he truly understands the hard work and dedication life in production agriculture demands. After witnessing first-hand how vital marketing and risk management are, he’s passionate about bringing that positive impact to each and every customer he works with.