Cotton Council International Elects 2017 Officers

Eduardo L. (Eddy) Esteve, a merchant from Dallas, Texas, will serve as president of Cotton Council International (CCI) for 2017. He and other CCI officers were elected at CCI’s board meeting during the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) 2017 Annual Meeting held February 10-12 in Dallas, Texas. CCI is the NCC’s export promotion arm and carries out programs in more than 50 countries globally under the COTTON USA trademark.

“U.S. cotton has a great story to tell, and COTTON USA is communicating it to our industry’s current and potential customers worldwide,” Esteve said. “As CCI’s president, I’m proud to lead its efforts this year to continue driving differentiation and branding of U.S. cotton throughout the global cotton supply chain.”

Esteve, who moves up from CCI first vice president, succeeds Keith T. Lucas, a Garner, N.C., cooperative official, who becomes CCI board chairman. Esteve was born in Mexico City but spent his childhood in Dallas and graduated from the University of Dallas in 1990. He immediately began working for ECOM USA and merchandised coffee in Mexico for seven years before transferring to the firm’s cotton division in 1997. He now serves as ECOM USA’s president. Esteve, who served previously as a NCC director, is the past chairman of the American Cotton Shippers Association and past president of the Texas Cotton Association. He continues to live in Dallas and has four children.

Other 2017 CCI officers elected include: first vice president, Ted Schneider, producer, Lake Providence, La.; second vice president, Hank Reichle, cooperative, Greenwood, Miss.; and treasurer, E. Hope Brooks, III, merchant, Memphis, Tennessee. In addition, Gary Adams, Cordova, Tenn., was elected as secretary and Bruce Atherley, Washington, D.C., was elected as assistant secretary.

Elected as 2017 CCI directors were: Dwayne Alford, a ginner from Yuma, Ariz.; Bobby Walton, a merchant from Memphis, Tenn.; and Ted Sheely, a producer from Lemoore, California.

Re-elected as 2017 CCI directors were: PRODUCERS – J. Lee Cromley, Brooklet, Ga.; Richard Gaona, Roby, Texas; Craig A. Heinrich, Lubbock, Texas; Richard Kelley, Burlison, Tenn.; Taylor Slade, Williamston, N.C.; and Gregory C. (Greg) Wuertz, Casa Grande, Ariz.; GINNER – Kent D. Fountain, Surrency, Ga.; MERCHANTS – Philip R. (Phil) Bogel, II, Dallas, Texas; Steven (Steve) Dyer, Cordova, Tenn.; James L. Loeb, Jr., Montgomery, Ala.; and Ernst D. (Ernie) Schroeder, Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.; COOPERATIVE OFFICIALS – Frederick Barrier, Greenwood, Miss.; Carlos C. Garcia, Lubbock, Texas; and Jarral T. Neeper, Bakersfield, Calif.; COTTONSEED HANDLER – James C. Massey, Harlingen, Texas; WAREHOUSEMAN – Vance C. Shoaf, Milan, Tenn.; and MANUFACTURERS – Robin Perkins, Sanford, N.C.; and Davis Warlick, Charlotte, North Carolina.