Rich Hillman, Shannon Davis to lead Riceland Foods board of directors

The Riceland Foods board of directors has elected Rich Hillman as chairman and Shannon Davis as vice chairman. Former Chairman Roger Pohlner stepped down from the board leadership role, but he will remain on the board to serve Riceland members in the North Central Arkansas District.

Hillman thanked Pohlner for his leadership over the last 12 years.

“I can’t express enough my appreciation for our former chairman Roger Pohlner and his outstanding leadership for our cooperative,” Hillman said. “He has left behind enormous shoes to fill and a legacy of integrity for myself and our great board. I look forward to working with our CEO, Kevin McGilton, and his great staff to serve our members, who depend on us daily.”

Davis said he is looking forward to serving the Riceland membership through his new role.

“Over the last 15 years, I have served the Riceland members in my district. I am honored to serve the entire Riceland membership as vice chairman of the board,” Davis said. “I believe in our cooperative and the employees who work daily to provide an outlet for our crops to help farmers feed the world.”

A sixth-generation farmer from Carlisle, Hillman grows rice, soybeans, and corn in Lonoke and Prairie counties. He has been fortunate to farm with his father, son, and brother. He has been a member of the Riceland Foods Board of Directors since 2004 and vice chairman for 12 years.

Additionally, Hillman served as the president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation of Arkansas, vice chairman of the Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, and on the board of the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company.

He is a past chairman of the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board, a past member of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and a past member of the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation Board.

Davis is a fifth-generation farmer who grows rice, soybeans, and corn in Craighead and Lawrence Counties. He graduated from Arkansas State University with a bachelor of science in zoology and, after continuing his education, a master of science in environmental science, where he studied run-off from aerial application of rice herbicides.

Davis has served on the Riceland Foods board of directors since 2009, serving on numerous committees. He is currently the chairman of the Riceland Foods Foundation.

He served on the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board for 14 years, where he was the chairman from 2012 to 2014. Davis currently serves as the president of the Westside Consolidated School District board of directors and the chairman of the Cache River Drainage District for Craighead, Jackson, and Lawrence counties.