ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) announced its choice last week of a new chief executive officer.

The group’s choice is Chris Novak. He will replace Rick Tolman, who’s held the CEO position at NCGA for the past 14 years. 

Novak will move to NCGA from the National Pork Board, where he has served as CEO since October 2008. Prior to that, from 2004 to 2008, he was executive director of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, the Indiana Corn Growers Assoc. and the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Novak also has served in positions at Syngenta and the American Soybean Assoc. and worked on Capitol Hill.

“I think Chris will bring in new ideas, absolutely,” said Martin Barbre, president of the NCGA. Barbre is a farmer from Carmi, Ill. He’s an unpaid member of the NCGA Board as are all 15 of the board members. The CEO is a paid position. 

“Rick has done a great job running the NCGA. I would agree that, with Chris, it will be pretty much ‘stay the course,’ but I’m expecting Chris to bring in some new ideas as well.

“I think Chris Novak just brings a fantastic amount of experience to this position. He’s a farmer, and he has a wealth of experience in other places, and I think he’s going to be fantastic for our organization.”

Barbre said NCGA has been growing tremendously in recent years.

Since 2006, the group has grown from 27,000 members to 42,000. It had been growing substantially before that as well, he said. Barbre said he thinks the group is “just doing a great job for our members.”

Tolman announced his intention last March to retire from NCGA at the end of the fiscal year. He said he wanted to spend more time with his wife, children and grandchildren. Tolman has served in executive positions at other organizations, including as executive director of the U.S. Grains Council. Later in the year, he and his wife Linda will relocate closer to family in Utah.  

“NCGA has a great future ahead of itself with Chris as its new chief executive,” Tolman said in a statement. “I am extremely confident that he has the experience and expertise to lead it boldly and continue its trajectory as a respected national trade association growing in membership and influence. In the weeks ahead, we will be working together on a smooth and productive transition as corn farmers face continuing challenges from several fronts.”

Novak is set to begin his new position Oct. 13. 

“I am very excited about this opportunity to work with a terrific team of grower leaders, state affiliates and the NCGA staff,” Novak said in a statement. “With a record corn crop predicted for this year, corn farmers must work together to build new markets that keep up with our increasing productivity. I’m looking forward to working with the team to meet this challenge.”

Novak has an MBA from Purdue University, a law degree from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor’s Degree in public service and administration from Iowa State University. Novak and his wife, Julie, have three children.