Cotton Council International Elects 2020 Officers

Richard L. (Ricky) Clarke, III, a merchant from Cordova, Tenn., will serve as president of Cotton Council International (CCI) for 2020.

February 17, 2020
Contact: Marjory Walker or T. Cotton Nelson
(901) 274-9030

Richard L. (Ricky) Clarke, III, a merchant from Cordova, Tenn., will serve as president of Cotton Council International (CCI) for 2020. CCI is the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) export promotion arm and carries out programs in more than 50 countries globally under the COTTON USA™ trademark.

Clarke, who moves up from CCI first vice president, succeeds Hank N. Reichle, Jr., a cooperative official from Greenwood, Miss., who becomes CCI board chairman. Clarke, Reichle and other CCI officers were elected at CCI’s board meeting during the NCC’s 2020 Annual Meeting held February 14-16 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

“I look forward to leading CCI in its mission of making U.S. cotton ‘The Cotton The World Trusts’ for mills, manufacturers, brands, retailers and consumers worldwide,” Clarke said. “COTTON USA promotional events in 2020 will continue to educate this audience and stimulate U.S. cotton sales via networking opportunities throughout the global supply chain.” 

Clarke is vice president/senior merchant for Cargill Cotton, Business Unit of Cargill, Inc. His current merchandising responsibilities include sales to several Asian markets.

Clarke, who was raised in Greenwood, Miss., graduated from Mississippi State University in 1980 and earned an MBA from Memphis State University in 1987. He started with Cargill’s Cotton Business Unit (Hohenberg Bros. Co.) in 1980 and has worked for Cargill Cotton in various merchandising capacities. Those include managing the Phoenix office, merchandising all of the major growth regions in the United States and working a stint with Cargill Cotton’s Liverpool office. 

Clarke is active with the NCC and is an American Cotton Shippers Association director. He is married to Terri Clarke and has four children and two grandsons.

Other 2020 CCI officers elected include: first vice president, Ted Sheely, producer, Lemoore, Calif.; second vice president, Carlos C. Garcia, cooperative official, Lubbock, Texas; and treasurer, Steven Dyer, merchant, Cordova, Tennessee. In addition, Gary Adams, Cordova, was elected as secretary and Bruce Atherley, Washington, D.C., elected as assistant secretary.

Elected as 2020 CCI directors were: George G. LaCour, Jr., a ginner from Morganza, La.; John C. King, III, a merchant from Helena, Ark.; Neal Isbell, a producer from Muscle Shoals, Ala.; and John F. Lindamood, a producer from Tiptonville, Tennessee.

Re-elected as 2020 CCI directors were: PRODUCERS – J. Lee Cromley, Brooklet, Ga.; Richard Gaona, Roby, Texas; Craig A. Heinrich, Lubbock, Texas; Matthew R. (Matt) Hyneman, Jonesboro, Ark.; and Paul (Paco) Ollerton, Casa Grande, Ariz.; GINNERS – Curtis H. Stewart, Spade, Texas; MERCHANTS – Philip R. (Phil) Bogel, II, Dallas, Texas; Tim G. North, Dallas, Texas; Ernst D. (Ernie) Schroeder, Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.; and William Barksdale, Cordova, Tenn.; COOPERATIVES – Frederick Barrier, Greenwood, Miss.; Carlo Bocardo, Bakersfield, Calif.; Donald Robinson, Garner, N.C.; COTTONSEED – James C. Massey, Harlingen, Texas; WAREHOUSEMAN – Vance C. Shoaf, Milan, Tenn.; and MANUFACTURERS – Robin Perkins, Sanford, N.C.; and Davis Warlick, Charlotte, North Carolina.