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After 38 years as an Indiana Farm Bureau employee, Mark Sigler will be retiring as chief operating officer and treasurer, effective Sept. 1.

Sigler started at INFB in 1987 as marketing assistant in the commodity department. He will be succeeded by Megan Ritter, currently INFB’s chief administrative officer. Ritter brings nearly 15 years of experience with INFB, having served in key roles across public policy, strategy and executive leadership. Prior to her tenure in Indiana, she also worked at Farm Bureau organizations in Michigan and Iowa.

“I was attracted to INFB because of the work they did in marketing and carcass evaluation programs in the 1980s,” Sigler said. “I was on the meats and livestock judging teams at Purdue University and wanted to do something in that area. The opening in their commodity department offered me that opportunity.”

He later became director of the organization department (now the field operations team) before being appointed corporate secretary in December 1994, which is what the top administrative role was called at that time. When he retires, Sigler will have served in his current role for 32 years – longer than any previous person in this position. The COO and treasurer titles were added in January 2002.

“I never had an interest in being an officer,” Sigler said. “However, as many people know, our career paths don’t always follow the path we have in mind.”

Changes in agriculture that took place in the early 90s led to the elimination of INFB’s carcass evaluation programs. He was given the opportunity to lead INFB’s field staff when that position opened up, and then the organization had several retirements that led to his appointment as corporate secretary.

Sigler grew up on a small family farm in Madison County where they raised corn, soybeans, hay and wheat along with purebred Shorthorn cattle. He and his sister and brothers still own the farm, which produces corn and soybeans. He and his wife, DeeDee, live on the home farm in the house he grew up in.

“Being on the farm and keeping the financial records has helped me in my work at Farm Bureau,” he said. “It has also given our grandkids a great place for their 4-H pigs and sheep over the years.”

Sigler has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from Purdue University and a master’s in adult and community education from Ball State University. Prior to being hired at Farm Bureau he was with the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, acting as 4-H extension educator in Elkhart County and agriculture extension educator in Rush County. He also worked for Farm Credit Services in Henry and Rush counties.

He has, of course, seen many changes in 38 years, including computers, email, internet and so on.

But perhaps even more fundamental are the changes in agriculture that are now reflected in Farm Bureau.

“In my early years, most of the people that attended our events and meetings had farms that looked very similar. Today’s farms and what is included under the definition of agriculture is far more diverse,” he said. “One of the great things about Farm Bureau is that it is a general farm organization that represents all types of farms and commodities. However, because of that diversity it is much more challenging to bring everyone together on some of today’s issues.”

He added, though, that some things haven’t changed. “Today’s vision statement says, ‘To cultivate a thriving agricultural ecosystem to strengthen the viability of Indiana agriculture.’ The need to work together for a better agriculture is still what guides us today.”

“Mark’s decades of service have helped build the strong foundation our organization stands on today,” said Randy Kron, INFB president. “We are grateful for his leadership and the lasting impact he has had on our mission and members.”

Sigler will remain treasurer until the end of the year, but aside from that, his retirement plans start with catching up on a backlog of duties around the farm and spending more time with his family, which includes DeeDee, their two children and six grandchildren.