Plains, Grain & Agronomy of Enderlin, ND has announced the hiring of their new CEO
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FROM: Mike Lemna, Chairman of the Board, PGAg
RE: Jacob Bailey to succeed the retiring Keith Brandt as CEO/General Manager
DATE: February 6, 2025
The PGAg Board of Directors is pleased to announce Jacob Bailey as the next CEO/General Manager, effective March 24, 2025. Jacob brings over 15 years of industry experience, a deep understanding of cooperative business, extensive expertise in grain markets, and a strong background in leadership and business management.
Jacob’s passion for agriculture began at a young age while working on a neighbor’s dairy farm, instilling in him a strong work ethic and appreciation for the agriculture industry. His career started as a manager trainee at CHS Inc. in North Dakota, where he developed a solid foundation in cooperative operations, business fundamentals, and customer service. He then moved into grain merchandising, where he built new territories, developed customer relationships, and expanded market opportunities for producers in the Red River Valley. He further refined his trading skills by moving to Illinois and trading grain on the Illinois River.
As his career progressed, Jacob took on leadership roles overseeing large-scale grain operations, trading, logistics, and business development as well as feed manufacturing responsibilities. He’s led teams responsible for grain, agronomy, feed, and energy while driving efficiencies, increasing collaboration, reducing costs, and improving margins. His experience as a General Manager also includes managing a large full-service cooperative, where he championed safety, employee development, and operational improvements.
Jacob later stepped into senior leadership roles, overseeing major grain marketing initiatives and managing grain trading operations across multiple states. He played a key role in developing business strategies, finance, and strengthening connections between producers and global markets. His most recent role involved leading business transformation efforts for CHS’s animal nutrition division, guiding operational improvements across multiple locations and teams.
Jacob holds a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University and a Master’s in Agribusiness from Kansas State University. A proud Bison, he is excited to return to North Dakota with his family. “North Dakota has been good to me,” Jacob shares. “I’ve built strong family and friend connections, and I’m excited for the opportunity to return, plant roots, and provide our children with a North Dakota upbringing.”
Jacob, his wife, Jackie, along with their two children, Jensen (6), and Collins (3), will be relocating from Minnesota to the area at the end of the school year. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors—but don’t ask for his favorite hunting spot, as that remains a well-guarded secret!