The leadership team of FamilyFarms Group is a diverse group of business professionals. Some of our executive team have backgrounds in agriculture while others lend us their expertise gained in other areas ranging from advertising to manufacturing. Our diverse group will help you take your business from where you are now to where you want to be.

E. Allen Lash, Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Mr. Lash is a widely recognized leader in the area of financial management for agricultural producers and a visionary in the agriculture community. In 1968, Lash founded Agro Systems Corp., a financial management system for agricultural producers.

Organizations including John Deere, Monsanto Dairy Division and Farm Credit Services, various commodity associations (corn and soybeans), the National Pork Producers Council, USDA, and US-AID for the countries of Estonia and Poland recognize and/or utilize AgriSolutions® systems, services and training.

Mr. Lash is often quoted or featured in farm magazines, and has written or co-written several financial and management training guides.

Jeff Haferkamp, Chief Operating Officer

Prior to joining FamilyFarms Group, Mr. Haferkamp was President of Olin Brass Corporation, where he worked for more than 30 years. As President (2005-2010), Mr. Haferkamp managed a $1.2 billion manufacturing business, with both domestic and international facilities, and 1,800 employees.

Mr. Haferkamp received his B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1976 and his M.S. degree in Engineering Management from Missouri University of Science and Technology in 1978.

Mr. Haferkamp served as a Board member of several organizations: Copper Development Association, Olin-Lutong Joint Venture, Dowa-Olin Metals Joint Venture, and Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation. Recently, Mr. Haferkamp was elected to the University of Missouri’s Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Hall of Fame.

Harold Birch, Executive Vice President and Founder

Mr. Birch, one of the founding members of FamilyFarms Group, was named Executive Vice President in 2010 after having served as Chief Operating Officer since 2006.

Mr. Birch has extensive experience auditing financial institutions and is a member of the National Society of Tax Professionals, the American Society of Agricultural Consultants, and the Institute of Management Accountants. He is a Certified Tax Professional, Certified Agricultural Consultant, and a Certified Internal Accountant.

Mr. Birch has earned a B.S. in Agricultural Economics and Farm Management from the University of Illinois.

Jerry Best, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Best joined FamilyFarms Group as Chief Financial Officer in May 2009. Prior to joining FamilyFarms Group, Jerry headed the real estate development division of The Lawrence Group.

Before that, he worked for 20 years as CFO of Momentum Worldwide, a subsidiary of The Interpublic Group, a McCann Erickson Worldgroup. Momentum had 400 employees and generated over $60MM in annual revenues.

Mr. Best earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Drake University in Des Moines.

Joe Zachman, Senior Vice President, Competitive Services

Mr. Zachman was Chief Operating Officer at Endicott Interconnect Technologies in New York, a privately held electronics manufacturer of printed circuit boards, semiconductor packages, and fully integrated systems.

Before that, he was Chief Operating Officer for Wabash National Corp. in Lafayette, Indiana, a $1.3 billion producer of transportation equipment. Prior to that, he was General Manager of TTM Technologies, a $240MM high-tech company, and President of CDR, a privately held automotive supplier of electronic assemblies.

Mr. Zachman received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University’s School of Technology and his M.S. degree in Manufacturing Management from Kettering University.