Lea Elected 2014 Cotton Council International President

WASHINGTON, DC – Jordan Lea was elected the 2014 president of Cotton Council International (CCI) at CCI’s board meeting today at the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) 76th Annual Meeting.

February 7, 2014
Contact: Marjory Walker
(901) 274-9030

WASHINGTON, DC – Jordan Lea was elected the 2014 president of Cotton Council International (CCI) at CCI's board meeting today at the National Cotton Council's (NCC) 76th Annual Meeting. CCI is the NCC's export promotions arm and carries out programs in more than 50 countries globally under the COTTON USA trademark.

"I'm proud to serve as the president of CCI, an organization that works dynamically with the entire global cotton supply chain to promote U.S. cotton exports," Lea said.

Lea, a merchant with Eastern Trading Company in Greenville, S.C., who moves up from CCI first vice president, succeeds John A. Burch, a Bakersfield, Calif., cooperative official who is now CCI board chairman. CCI's board meeting was one several sessions that convened at the NCC's 76th Annual Meeting here on Feb. 7-9.

Lea graduated from North Carolina State University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and from the Memphis Cotton Exchange Cotton School in 1991. He was the merchant member of the NCC's 2000 leadership class. He is a past chairman of the American Cotton Shippers Association. In addition he serves on the board of directors of the NCC and The International Cotton Association.

Other 2014 CCI officers elected include: first vice president, Dahlen K. Hancock, producer, Ropesville, Tex.; second vice president, Keith T. Lucas, cooperative official, Garner, N.C.; and treasurer, Anthony Tancredi, merchant, Cordova, Tenn. Mark D. Lange of Cordova, Tenn., was re-elected as secretary and Kevin Latner of Washington, D.C., was elected as assistant secretary.

E. Hope (Hopie) Brooks, III, merchant, Cordova, Tenn.; James C. Massey, cottonseed handler, Harlingen, Texas; and Cannon Michael, producer, Los Banos, Calif.; were newly elected as CCI directors for 2014.

Re-elected 2014 CCI directors include: Producers – Michael D. (Mike) Alexander, Colorado City, Texas; Rickey L. Bearden, Plains, Texas; Richard Kelley, Burlison, Tenn.; Taylor Slade, Williamston, N.C.; W. Stewart Weaver, Jr., Edmondson, Ark.; and Gregory C. (Greg) Wuertz, Casa Grande, Ariz.; Ginners – Thomas S. (Sid) Brough, Odem, Texas; and Kent D. Fountain, Surrency, Ga.; Merchants – Philip R. (Phil) Bogel, II, Dallas, Texas; R. Steven (Steve) Dyer, Cordova, Tenn.; Eduardo L. (Eddy) Esteve, Dallas, Texas; and Ernst D. (Ernie) Schroeder, Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.; Cooperative Officials - Frederick Barrier, Greenwood, Miss.; Hank Reichle, Greenwood, Miss.; and Lonnie D. Winters, Lubbock, Texas; Warehouser - Vance C. Shoaf, Milan, Tenn; and Manufacturers – Dan Morrison, Gastonia, N.C.; and Robin Perkins, Sanford, N.C.