FFA New Horizons

Former FFA member Jeff Broin has been managing an
ethanol plant in Scotaind, South Dakota, since he was 22.
At
a time when most 22 year-old
college graduates are just entering
the job market. Jeff Broin was
heading a business employing 14
people.
—
This business—an ethanol plant with
gross receipts of $ 1 .8 million annually
is still being managed by Broin. What's
more, it is growing, showing that busi-
nesses can thrive in rural areas.
Upon graduation from the University
of Wisconsin-River Falls. Broin started
work as an assistant loan officer in a bank.
But when he and his family purchased and
ethanol plant in Scotland. South Dakota.
Broin opted to move and manage it.
Nov. 24. Broin says the experience
was initu.':} a bit overwhelming. But he
credits his !FA experience with giving
him a good b. ' t'round for this challenge.
'
"FFA was a ve. .od leadership training
ground." he say^ all the things Fve
done here, Fve hau . 'ructure my work
force from the top on v n. ! use a lot of
in
'. the same things here > .: learned
FFA."
Broin attended high school ,:\ Kenyon,
FFA Fuels
Ethanol
Entrepreneur
FFA Experience Pays
Dividends in Business
Management
By Gil Gullickson
Minnesota, where he was active in FFA
serving as chapter vice president and earning
the state farmer degree. He comes
from an FFA family, as brothers Rob and
Todd and father Lowell were all active
chapter members during their high school
years.
The Broins originally entered the ethanol
business in 1985. selling ethanol from
"/ think we're on the edge of a
real good thing, " says Broin.
"Ethanol not only reduces our
dependence upon imported oil,
but it helps balance trade and
uses up surplus corn.
a plant built on their Wanamingo. Minne-
sota farm. While building and repairing
that plant, they would periodically scour
newspapers across the nation for ethanol
plant bankruptcy auctions. This is be-
cause inexpensive parts could be pur-
"
cha.sed at these auctions.
Broin's mother had noticed a bank-
ruptcy auction notice in a newspaper for
the Scotland plant. Initially, the Broins
went to the auction just to buy a share of
the plant equipment. But since it was so
reasonably priced, they purchased the
entire plant in 1987.
Prior to the auction, Broin's family
asked Jeff if he would manage the plant,
provided the purchase price was right.
"At that time, I felt like I was on the
bottom of the totem pole, being new to the
banking industry," he says. "I said Fd do
it. It would give me a chance to be at the
top of an organization instead of being at
the bottom."
But all this meant lots of learning. "I
had an ag business background," says
Broin. "But I hadn't had a lot of people
management experience."
Broin credits his FFA background for
helping him to make the transition. "I
learned how to interact with other people
through FFA," he says.
People skills were also honed through
his participation in parliamentary proce-
40 FFA New Horizons