When Centerra Cooperative's longtime President & CEO, Jean Bratton, announced her retirement, the Board of Directors faced one of its most important responsibilities: selecting the cooperative's next leader.
The Board sought an experienced agricultural executive capable of balancing strategy, operations, financial performance, and employee leadership while maintaining the member-focused culture that defines Centerra.
About Centerra Cooperative
Centerra Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Ashland, Ohio, serving members and customers throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. Its diverse businesses span agronomy, grain, feed, energy, precision agriculture, and retail.
The Hiring Challenge
Replacing a long-tenured CEO required finding a leader who could maintain organizational stability while positioning the cooperative for future growth and evolving member needs.
Cultural fit was equally important. Centerra wanted a CEO who would be visible throughout the organization, build credibility with employees and members, work effectively with a farmer-led Board of Directors, and take the time to understand the cooperative before determining its future priorities.
AgHires Executive Search Approach
AgHires began the executive search by working closely with Centerra’s Board and Hiring Committee to understand the cooperative’s businesses, culture, current opportunities, leadership needs, and long-term priorities. That discovery process helped define not only the experience required for the role, but the leadership characteristics that would ultimately determine the right fit.
Leveraging AgHires’ agriculture industry network and executive recruiting expertise, the team conducted a confidential national search targeting experienced cooperative and agribusiness leaders. Because many of the strongest industry leaders are not actively seeking new opportunities, AgHires conducted targeted outreach to passive executives, giving Centerra access to candidates it would be unlikely to reach through a traditional job posting or applicant-driven search.
Candidates were assessed against the leadership competencies required to lead a diversified agricultural cooperative, including strategic leadership, financial acumen, operational excellence, talent development, Board governance, and member relations.
AgHires partnered closely with the Hiring Committee throughout the process, conducting in-depth candidate interviews and helping narrow the field to seven candidates for committee interviews. From there, three finalists advanced to comprehensive on-site interviews with the full Board of Directors.
The final evaluation went well beyond traditional interviews. AgHires worked with the Board to develop an executive case study that allowed finalists to demonstrate how they would approach Centerra’s business, lead strategic change, and work with the Board and leadership team.
AgHires also conducted detailed professional reference checks and supported the Board through candidate evaluation, final selection, executive compensation discussions, and offer negotiations.
The Result
Following a comprehensive national search, Centerra's Board unanimously selected Josh Hilbrands as its next President & CEO.
Josh brings more than 15 years of leadership experience within the agricultural cooperative industry, with experience across agronomy, grain, feed, energy, and retail operations. His background includes CEO and senior operational leadership experience, along with a track record of strengthening financial performance, improving operational efficiency, developing teams, and leading organizations through significant change.
Josh will assume the role of President & CEO on September 1, with a planned leadership transition designed to ensure continuity for employees, members, and stakeholders.
Through a structured national search, the Board selected its next President & CEO with unanimous support and confidence in the decision.
“AgHires made the entire search process easy, organized, and transparent from beginning to end,” said Karen Alsop, Chief Human Resource Officer at Centerra Cooperative. “Our Board was extremely complimentary of the team’s preparation, the quality of the questions, and the guidance provided throughout the process. We were very pleased with the experience and would absolutely partner with AgHires again for future leadership searches.”
Executive Search Built for Agriculture and Agribusiness
Executive leadership transitions carry long-term implications for organization's strategy, employees, customers, stakeholders, and future growth.
AgHires partners with boards of directors, owners, and leadership teams to conduct executive searches for CEOs, presidents, CFOs, COOs, vice presidents, executive directors, and other senior leaders across agriculture, agribusiness, food production, cooperatives, horticulture, animal health, and related industries.
Through a disciplined search process, proactive candidate outreach, deep industry expertise, and structured executive evaluation, AgHires helps organizations identify and recruit leaders who are often unreachable through traditional job postings or applicant-driven recruiting.
Facing a critical executive leadership transition? Learn how AgHires can help you identify, engage, and evaluate the right leader through a strategic executive search process.
