Gavin McPherson, Risk Management Consultant, StoneX

Gavin McPherson is a risk management consultant at StoneX Financial, Inc. – FCM Division, located in Chicago, IL. For over 20 years he has helped commodity producers, processors, and buyers identify, and manage basis and price risk using exchange traded derivatives, including futures and options, OTC, crop insurance and physical contracts. Gavin has presented at many educational programs and seminars where agricultural producers attend to learn price risk management concepts and tools.  He strives to help improve each student’s understanding and knowledge, giving them the confidence and discipline needed to execute their price risk management plan. Gavin is CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) registered as an associated person with the National Futures Association and carries his series 3 license. Gavin is also a licensed insurance agent offering Livestock Risk Protection insurance through the RMA (Risk Management Agency) division of the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). Through Stone Markets LLC, Gavin is an AP (Associated Person) registered with the Swap dealer offering OTC risk management tools, customizable to each customer’s specific needs.

Blake Van Denburgh, Poultry Sales Manager for North America, Cargill

Blake Van Denburgh, Grew up the oldest of 10 children with 7 special needs adopted siblings in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was very active in 4-H projects during elementary school and high school and realized quickly that a lot of his friends were going to school to study IT. Due to his 4-H experiences, he decided to specialize in Animal Agriculture. He spent 13 years post college managing large integrated laying facilities in Iowa with the last one being a 9 Million bird facility with over 480 employees. After the Avian Influenza outbreak of 2015, he transitioned to Account Management where he spent the next 5 years working as an Account Manager for Zoetis. He then moved back to Management as the Cargill Poultry Sales Manager for North America in 2021. When he relocated to back to Minnesota, he and his girlfriend purchased a house with a large yard where they enjoy flower and vegetable gardening in the summer. They spend their winters traveling and exploring the world.

Tim Bender, Livestock Division Manager, Superior Ag

Tim Bender graduated from Vincennes University in 1984 with a degree in Agribusiness. Following college, he began his career by returning home to manage his family farm in Birdseye, IN until 1993. In addition to on-farm experience, he has gained extensive professional and industry experience throughout his career. He went on to manage a 600-sow farrow-to-finish operation for Far Best, served as herdsman for Temple Genetics from 1994-1995, and a then as a regional salesman for Thomas & Thomas Feed Company.

In 1996, Tim became a livestock sales specialist for Dubois and Spencer County Co-op’s until they merged to become Superior Ag in 2007. He continued to serve in that capacity until 2018 when he was promoted to Livestock Division Manager. He currently oversees the entire livestock division, which is comprised of Superior Ag’s state-of-the-art feed mill, feed store, and external livestock sales specialists. 

Tim resides on his 450-acre family farm in Birdseye, IN and has three daughters – Courtney, Alicia, and Ashlynne. He also serves on the Vincennes University Agribusiness Advisory Board and served on the 4-H swine committee for 20 years.