INSIGHTS September/October 2016 NEWS AND VIEWS FROM CHS DIRECTORS THIS ISSUE 25 • Learn about proposed amendments to the CHS Articles and Bylaws 26 • Opportunities to connect with your cooperative • CHS Board gets up close in Kansas • CHS Inc. earnings 27 • Engaging the next generation 28 • Answers to your questions about proposed changes to CHS membership classes CHS OWNERS LEARN ABOUT LEARN MORE To learn more about proposed amendments to the CHS Articles and Bylaws: • Contact a CHS director ; a list appears on chsinc.com • Review materials available on the chsinc.com Governance page including overview information, frequently asked questions and an informational video • Watch for delegate materials sent to voting eligible owners in October 2016, which will include official voting materials on the proposal • Join a live educational webcast on Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. (CST). A link will be available on chsinc.com (also available online for later viewing) • Attend an informational breakout session on Dec. 1, at the 2016 CHS Annual Meeting PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES AND BYLAWS The CHS Board of Directors was out in full force all summer to ensure member-owners are well informed on proposed amendments to the CHS Articles and Bylaws that address membership eligibility criteria. “Our priority is making sure everyone understands the proposal and has the information they need to make an informed choice when they vote at the annual meeting in December,” says CHS Board Chairman David Bielenberg. “The board spent considerable time since the 2015 annual meeting listening to our owners and taking their feedback into consideration in developing these proposed amendments.” To date, CHS directors have presented the proposal to more than 700 owners during special sessions at 10 recent Your CHS Town Hall meetings, as well as to a variety of other local and state member-cooperative events. More than 1,100 have viewed an informational video and nearly 1,000 have visited the governance page on the CHS website. Delegates to the 2015 CHS Annual Meeting voted to indefinitely postpone consideration of amendments that were recommended fall 2015, which proposed changes in the CHS membership definition, as well as other portions of the CHS Articles and Bylaws. In early June 2016, the CHS Board introduced proposed amendments to the articles and bylaws that pertain solely to membership definitions. “We think the membership-focused amendment proposals make sure CHS remains an agricultural producer-focused and governed cooperative, but also value our long-term members and respects their contributions to the success CHS has had,” Bielenberg says. Steve Fritel, chair of the CHS Board’s Governance Committee, says thus far “as we’ve attended the Your CHS Town Halls, we’re seeing a favorable reaction from our owners. They have questions, but many have said they appreciate the CHS Board’s commitment to listening to their concerns. By meeting with members beyond our home turf, we’re able to understand their perspectives, share with them the thoughts of owners from other geographies and ultimately tell a broader story.” Fritel was among several CHS directors who attended Your CHS Town Hall meetings at locations outside their home regions to gain broader perspective. Your CHS Your CHS Connection Connection 25 25
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