MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Kent Fountain, a Surrency, Ga., ginner, was re-elected National Cotton Council (NCC) chairman for 2021 during the organization’s virtual annual meeting today. Ted Schneider, a Lake Providence, La., producer, was re-elected to the position of vice chairman for 2021.
A member of the NCC’s 2001-2002 Cotton Leadership Class, Fountain served as a NCC vice president from 2016-2018 and as a NCC director in 2011. He has served on multiple NCC committees, including chairing its Quality Task Force, and served for 10 years as a director of Cotton Council International, the NCC’s export promotion arm.
Very active in the National Cotton Ginners Association, Fountain has held numerous leadership positions including serving as its president in 2012. He is a past president of the Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association and currently serves as a director for Staplcotn and the Cotton Growers Warehouse Association.
Fountain, who earned an Agricultural Economics degree at the University of Georgia, is the president/CEO of Southeastern Gin and Peanut, Incorporated in Surrency. The recipient of numerous honors, he was named Southeastern Ginner of the Year in 2001 and received the Horace Hayden National Ginner of the Year Award in 2016. He and his wife, Missi, live in Screven, Ga., and have two sons.
Elected as a NCC vice president was Jay Cowart, an Altus, Okla., warehouser.
Re-elected as NCC vice presidents were: Jordan Lea, a Greenville, S.C., merchant; Robin Perkins, a Sanford, N.C., textile manufacturer; Kirk Gilkey, a Corcoran, Calif., ginner; and Kevin Brinkley, marketing cooperative executive; and Robert Lacy, Jr, cottonseed processor; both from Lubbock, Texas. Re-elected as secretary-treasurer is Barry Evans, a producer from Kress, Texas.
Re-elected as NCC staff officers were: Gary Adams, president and chief executive officer; Marjory Walker, vice president, Council Operations; Jody Campiche, vice president, Economics and Policy Analysis; Reece Langley, vice president, Washington Operations; John Gibson, vice president, Member Services; and Harrison Ashley, vice president, Ginner Services.
Newly-elected NCC staff officers are: Don Parker, vice president, Technical Services; and Tas Smith, vice president, Producer Affairs.