We salute these employees who reached milestones in their years of service to Farm Credit during the first quarter of 2009:
30 YEARS:
· Val Mathis, Mahomet Credit Services Division
25 YEARS:
· Tammy Grant, Harrisburg Branch
· Ellen Gregg, Decatur Branch
· Mark Staake, Springfield Branch
20 YEARS:
· Becky Crawford, Mahomet Central Loan Accounting
· Loren Leskis, Mahomet Senior Management
15 YEARS:
· Frank Zumwalt, Watseka Branch
10 YEARS:
· Vicki Burns, Carlinville Branch
· Debbie Hails, Nashville Branch
· Todd Hortin, Harrisburg Branch
5 YEARS:
· Mike Cruit, Shelbyville Branch
· Luke Fraley, Jerseyville Branch
· Jim Lawler, Harrisburg Branch
· Allison Rahe, Springfield Branch
· Jason Rust, Watseka Branch
Cold, rainy days followed by a few days of sunshine, then another rainy period. Does that pattern sound familiar? As we head into May, let's hope that weather pattern gives way to sunshine and a dry period to accommodate spring planting. 
John Schable, of Tuscola, was elected to the Board of Directors of AgriBank in March 2009 to serve a four-year term. He has served on the Farm Credit Services of Illinois Board of Directors since 2001, previously serving on the FCS of Central Illinois Board of Directors since 1994. 
Five exceptional Illinois farmers were named Prairie Farmer Master Farmers at a recognition luncheon in Springfield on March 4, 2009. Among the newly designated "Master Farmers" were Farm Credit Services of Illinois members Randy Lambdin of Wolf Lake and Rick Nelson of Paxton. 
Farm Credit Services of Illinois held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 8.2009 at a construction site for a new facility in Red Bud's East Industrial Park. 
A group of fifteen young farmers and farm couples in Illinois have been selected to participate in the 2009-2011 Class of Cultivating Master Farmers (CMF). An additional group of 10 former recipients of the Prairie Farmer Master award will participate as mentors and experienced resources for the young farmers in the new CMF class. 
Terry was named Regional Lending Manager earlier this year. Based in Highland, Terry now also supports the Belleville, Nashville, and Red Bud Branch Offices. His FCS career started in 1984 as a trainee with Federal Land Bank. Following assignments in Danville and Belleville, Terry helped open the Farm Credit office in Highland in 1989 and served as a loan officer in Highland until this past January when he was promoted to provide leadership to his regional team in Southern Illinois. 
