The 75th Annual Stockholders’ meeting of WESTCO was held Tuesday, November 29th at the Alliance High School Performing Arts Center with over 250 in attendance.

Controller Shawn Nelson presented the financial reports for the cooperative and reported that for fiscal year 2016 the company had $137 million in Sales and generated a Net Savings of $4.9 million.

In the Annual Board Report, Chairman Mark Buskirk informed the members that 2016 was WESTCO’s seventh best year in history and the Board had approved the Equity Redemption for all members age 70 and older.  In total, WESTCO is returning $2.4 million in cash back to our members following the Annual Meeting.

General Manager, David Briggs, reviewed the seven divisions that serve the members, highlighting many accomplishments for the year, including the completion of the yellow pea splitter processing line in Bridgeport and a record volume of fertilizer delivered in supporting the members in growing their 2016 crops.

In recognition of our 75 years of history, a video was played highlighting some of the milestones and Briggs presented historical financial information that included the first fiscal year’s net savings in 1942 of $6,000 that has grown to a cumulative $82 million of value created for our members over the 75 fiscal years.

Michael Booth from Veteran, Wyoming, Mark Buskirk from Alliance, Erik Peterson from Gering and Allan Thorson from Hay Springs were elected to the Board of Directors.

Mark Kimmel was presented a plaque thanking him for his six years of service on the Board of Directors and a special presentation was made to Denise Jensen in recognition of her late husband Tom Jensen’s 15 years of service.