James Horvath, president and CEO of American Crystal Sugar, will be keynote speaker for the 10th annual Al Bloomquist Lectureship Series at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 7, at the Fargo Holiday Inn. The event is sponsored by the Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives at North Dakota State University, American Crystal Sugar and the Regional Economy Partnership Committee of the Fargo-Moorhead Chamber of Commerce.

The lectureship series honors Al Bloomquist who, representing area sugarbeet growers, was instrumental in the grower purchase of American Crystal Sugar to form the nation’s first grower-owned sugarbeet cooperative. Bloomquist became vice president for public affairs and later president and CEO of the cooperative. He retired in 1992.

Each year an individual committed to the cooperative movement is invited to present the lecture. Former speakers include Secretary of Agriculture Robert Bergland, North Dakota Governor George Sinner and Deputy Administrator of USDA Cooperative Services Randall Torgerson.

Horvath joined American Crystal as chief financial officer in 1985 and, except for two years spent as chief operating officer of ProGold, held that position until becoming president in 1998. He currently serves on the FM Global Midwest advisory board and is former chairman of the Red River Human Services Foundation.

Preregistration to attend the lecture and breakfast is required by March 26. To register, send the $10 fee to: Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives, P.O. Box 5636, Fargo, ND 58105. A registration form and information are available at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/qbcc/.

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Source: Margaret Lougheed, Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives, (701) 231-1016, www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/qbcc/
Editor: Gary Moran, (701) 282-6418, www.gmoran@cableone.net