Cotton Council International elects Carlos Garcia as president

Garcia and other CCI officers were elected at CCI’s board meeting held as part of the NCC’s 2022 annual meeting that convened in Houston, Texas. CCI is the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) export promotion arm and carries out programmes in more than 50 countries globally under the Cotton USA trademark, CCI said in a press release.

“Despite the global pandemic, CCI held 35 events – both virtually and in person – in 12 of the biggest cotton importing countries of the world in 2021. I was proud to represent the US industry during a Cotton USA event last year and saw firsthand how CCI’s business-building programs resonate with our customers overseas. I will continue to communicate US cotton’s competitive advantages with CCI in 2022 with a focus on the US Cotton Trust Protocol and Cotton USA Solutions,” Garcia said.

Garcia is the past president of the Lubbock Cotton Exchange and current board member.  He is also a member of the International Cotton Association and has served on the advisory committee on Universal Cotton Standards. A NCC cotton leadership programme graduate, he currently serves on the NCC’s Public Relations and International Market Development Committee.

Garcia is involved with several community organisations as well, currently serving on the Board of Managers of Lubbock County Hospital District, and as chairman in 2021. He is currently a UMC Foundation board member and past director as well as having served on the Slaton Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Other 2022 CCI officers elected include chairman, Ted D. Sheely, a producer from Lemoore, California; first vice president, Steve Dyer, a merchant from Cordova, Tenn.; second vice president, J. Lee Cromley, a producer from Brooklet, Ga.; secretary, Gary Adams, also of Cordova; and assistant secretary, Bruce Atherley, from Washington, D.C. Newly elected as CCI treasurer was Carlo Bocardo, a cooperative official from Bakersfield, California.

Elected as 2022 CCI directors were: Kevin Brinkley, a Lubbock, Texas cooperative official; James (Jim) Martin, a Gastonia, N.C. manufacturer; and Beau Stephenson, a Richardson, Texas merchant.

Re-elected as 2022 CCI directors were: producers – Philip F. Edwards, III, a Smithfield, Va.; Barry W. Evans, Kress, Texas; John F. Lindamood, Tiptonville, Tenn.; Richard Gaona, Roby, Texas; Matthew R. (Matt) Hyneman, Jonesboro, Ark.; Neal Isbell, Muscle Shoals, Ala.; and Paul (Paco) Ollerton, Casa Grande, Ariz.; Ginners – George G. LaCour, Jr., Morganza, La., and Curtis H. Stewart, Spade, Texas; Merchants – John C. King, III, Memphis, Tenn.; Tim G. North, Dallas, Texas; Ernst D. (Ernie) Schroeder, Jr., Bakersfield, California; and William A. Barksdale, Cordova, Tenn.; Cooperatives – Frederick Barrier, Greenwood, Miss.; and Donald A. Robinson, Garner, N.C.; Cottonseed – James (Jim) C. Massey, Harlingen, Texas; Warehouseman – Vance C Shoaf, Milan, Tenn.; and Manufacturers – Robin Perkins, Sanford, North Carolina.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (RR)