Keynote Speakers | Agricultural Bankers Conference

2024 Keynote Speakers

Natalie Bartholomew, Community President, First Community Bank; Founder, The Girl Banker

Natalie Bartholomew is a 23+ year career banker who currently serves as community president of First Community Bank in Northwest Arkansas. Natalie has been recognized on several 40 under 40 lists and was named as a Power Woman in Banking by Arkansas Money and Politics in 2020 and 2022. She launched The Girl Banker platform in 2017 to create a voice for working moms and women in banking.

John Boyd, President, National Black Famers Association

John Wesley Boyd, Jr. resides in Baskerville, Virginia with his wife Kara Brewer Boyd. He is a fourth-generation farmer, civil rights activist and the founder of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA). He formed the NBFA, a Virginia-based non-profit organization, in the early 1990's. In his role with the NBFA, Boyd has worked closely with national leaders in government, agriculture organizations and rural groups nationwide as well as internationally.

Craig C. Culver, Culver’s Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board

Craig’s passion for the business started over 50 years ago when his parents bought their first restaurant. Modeling his mom and dad’s command of the kitchen and gracious, midwestern hospitality, Craig grew up serving guests and learning firsthand about delicious, cooked-to-order food. In 1984 came an idea for a restaurant no one could resist. Craig and his family opened the very first Culver’s in their hometown of Sauk City, Wisconsin. There are now over 970 Culver’s franchises across 26 states and over 45,000 team members.

Don Day Jr., President and Chief Meteorologist, DayWeather, Inc.

For over 25 years, Don and his DayWeather meteorologists have provided customized broadcast weather services to over 70 radio stations across Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska with emphasis on the rural/ag listener. Day also specializes in weather forecasting and analysis for stratospheric aviation with emphasis on lighter than air vehicles (stratospheric balloons, airships and very high-altitude experiments).

Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation

Zippy Duvall has served as president of the American Farm Bureau Federation since 2016. He is a third-generation farmer from Georgia. He and his son operate a beef cow herd, raise broiler chickens, and grow their own hay, all while continuing to restore the farmland that has been in the family for more than 90 years. Through his leadership as AFBF president, Duvall helped to shape the 2018 farm bill and is working to ensure the 2023 farm bill effectively supports farmers and ranchers.

David M. Kohl, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Finance and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Virginia Tech

Dr. Dave Kohl is an academic Hall of Famer in the College of Agriculture at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Dr. Kohl has keen insight into the agriculture industry gained through extensive travel, research, and involvement in ag businesses. He has traveled over 10 million miles; conducted more than 7,000 presentations; and published more than 2,500 articles in his career. Dr. Kohl’s wisdom and engagement with all levels of the industry provide a unique perspective into future trends.

Yung-Yu Ma, Chief Investment Officer, BMO Wealth Management - U.S

Yung-Yu Ma joined the organization in 2016. As Chief Investment Officer, he is responsible for leading strategic and tactical asset allocations for client portfolios and heads a team that conducts macroeconomic and market analysis, as well as modeling across asset classes. Prior to joining BMO, Yung-Yu was a finance professor at Lehigh University, where he taught courses in equities, fixed income, and derivatives.

Scott Moore, Rear Admiral, USN (Retired)

Having served 30 years as a SEAL leader, retired Rear Admiral Scott Moore led the military’s elite forces through more than 2,000 of our nation’s most extreme, high-stakes missions. He understands the importance of leadership and cohesiveness like few others can, and his experience runs the gamut from leading small groups to large-scale tactical planning. From the mountains of Afghanistan to briefings in the Oval Office, Moore is the man our leaders trusted when failure was not an option.