Cotton Council International Elects 2017 Officers

DALLAS, Texas (February 10, 2017) – 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 in Dallas today during the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) 2017 Annual Meeting. 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.

Cotton Council International (CCI), the export promotion arm of the Memphis-based National Cotton Council of America, is dedicated to increasing U.S. exports of cotton, cottonseed and their products. In overseas markets, CCI represents the seven segments of the U.S. cotton industry: producers, ginners, warehousers, merchants, cottonseed handlers, cooperative officials and manufacturers. With offices in Washington, Memphis, London, Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai and dedicated representatives in numerous other countries, CCI plays a major role in strengthening key markets for U.S. cotton and U.S. cotton products in Europe, Asia, Latin America, South Asia and Africa. For more information, please visit www.cottonusa.org.