TEAM

FROM THE PRESIDENT

It is an honor to serve as your President of the Montana Grain Growers Association. As we navigate a dynamic and often challenging agricultural landscape, our commitment to supporting and advocating for Montana’s grain producers has never been stronger.


The strength of this organization comes directly from our members. Your grassroots input drives our policy resolutions and shapes our legislative priorities. Whether we are meeting with elected officials in Helena or in Washington, D.C., our voice is the collective voice of Montana’s farm families.


I encourage every member to stay engaged, attend our events, take part in policy discussions, and help us continue championing the needs of Montana’s grain industry. Together, we will work to ensure a profitable and sustainable future for grain farming in the Treasure State.


Thank you for your continued commitment to 

MGGA and to Montana agriculture.

~President Steve Sheffels

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LEADERSHIP

Steve

Steve Sheffels
President

Steve

Born in Bozeman and raised in Great Falls and Glasgow, Steve has been farming on his family’s farm NE of Great Falls since 2007. Steve worked summers on the farm from junior high through the first round of college. He has an electrical engineering degree from MSU and an MBA from the University of Washington.
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Dale

Dale Flikkema
Vice President

Dale

Dale is an MGGA Director and farms outside of Bozeman with his wife and daughters. He is 4th generation on his family farm. They run a cow-calf operation and raise a vast variety of crops, including alfalfa, barley, canola, corn, peas, sunflowers, wheat, and hemp.
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Paul

Paul Bradley
Treasurer

Paul

Paul is a 3rd generation farmer, born and raised in Garneill, MT. He grew up doing all things farming and ranching with his dad and two uncles. He attended high school in Moore, MT and studied Petroleum Engineering at Montana Tech in Butte. Paul took over the family farm in 2015 and has been fortunate enough to lease a couple neighboring farms since.
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Trevor

Trevor Schock
Secretary

Trevor

Trevor grew up on the family small grains farm outside of Vida, Montana. He attended high school in Circle and received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Ag Business at MSU. After several years of working in the crop insurance industry, he returned to the family farm to continue to raise crops and children as a 4th generation farmer.
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Klayton

Klayton Lohr
Past President

Klayton

Klayton is a 4th generation farmer, born and raised on the Lohr family’s original homestead south of Devon, Montana. Klayton had the opportunity to lease a neighboring farm in 2014 and started farming with his dad until 2019 when he took over his family’s farm as well.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Staff

Shawna

Shawna Severson
Executive Vice President

Shawna

Shawna was born in Butte and moved to Great Falls Montana at a young age where she currently resides. She married her high school sweetheart and they have two daughters and one son that keep them on their toes. Shawna brings a wealth of experience to her role as Interim Executive Vice President of the Montana Grain Growers Association, having served as Office Manager and Event Coordinator for MGGA where she developed a deep understanding of the organization's mission, members, and operations.
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Loree

Loree Morgan
Bookkeeper

Loree

Loree was raised in Butte, and attended Concordia College in Portland, OR, where she earned an AA with emphasis on Accounting. She worked for a bank, a local CPA and a doctor prior to joining the MGGA staff as bookkeeper in 2006. Loree and her husband have 4 adult children and one grandchild. She is active in her church and also enjoys camping with family and friends.
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Kera

Kera Birkeland
Senior Policy Advisor

Kera

Kera was born and raised in Great Falls. She grew up in an agricultural family and it has always been a passion of hers. She’s been married to her husband, Lars Birkeland, for 22 years. They have six children, three dogs and several horses. Over her career Kera has started several small businesses and worked in a Utah based law firm. More recently Kera serves in the Utah Legislature.
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PAST PRESIDENTS

1956 – Norris Hanford

1957 – John Leuthold

1958 – Ivan Dahlman

1959, 1960 – George Skarda

1961, 1962 – Larry Erpelding

1963, 1964 – Ted Schwinden

1965, 1966 – Max Conover

1967, 1968 – Glenn Jacobsen

1969, 1970 – Ray Lohr

1971, 1972 – Jim Stephens

1973, 1974, 1975 – Glenn Moore

1976, 1977 – Vivian Thuesen

1978, 1979 – Steve Keil

1980, 1981 – Dale Schneidt

1982, 1983 – John “Bud” Leuthold Jr.

1984 – Knud Grosen

1985 – Mark Rasmussen

1986 – Ross Fitzgerald

1987 – Gregg Holt

1988 – Bill Brinkel

1989 – Larry Johnson

1990 – Lanny Christman

1991, 1992– Chuck Merja

1993 – Jerry Theusen

1994 – David Sage

1995 – Merlin Boxwell

1996 – Frank Schoonover

1997 – Robert Bold

1998 – Gary Broyles

1999 – Bill Goertz

2000 – Mike Waters

2001 – Dale Schuler

2002 – Larry Barbie

2003 – Herb Karst

2004 – Lochiel Edwards

2005 – Keith Schott

2006 – Jon Stoner

2007 – Darin Arganbright

2008 – Will Roehm

2009 – Bing Von Bergen

2010 – Keven Bradley

2011 – Gordon Stoner

2012 – Brian Eggebrecht

2013 – Ryan McCormick

2014 – Matt Flikkema

2015 – Charlie Bumgarner

2016 – Rob Davis

2017 – Tom Butcher

2018 – Michelle Erickson-Jones

2019 – Lyle Benjamin

2020 – Vince Mattson

2021 – Mitch Konen

2022 – Tryg Koch

2023 – Nathan Keane
2024 – Boyd Heilig

2025 – Klayton Lohr