2025-2026 Emerging Leaders Program Class Announced

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Eight U.S. cotton industry members have been chosen to participate in the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) Emerging Leaders Program for 2025-26.

Participants include: PRODUCERS – Branden Ahrens, Corpus Christi, TX; Bryce Howard, Dalhart, TX; Kirk Teixeira, Fresno, CA; GINNER – Craig Rohrbach, Farwell, TX; MERCHANT – Ashley Paddock, Olney, IL; WAREHOUSER – Matt Hennig, Amarillo, TX; COTTONSEED – Luke Flair, Elkhorn, NE, and MARKETING COOPERATIVE – Kaimi Whitaker, Lubbock, Texas.

Now in its tenth year, the NCC’s Emerging Leaders Program is supported by a grant to The Cotton Foundation from Bayer.

Overall, the Emerging Leaders Program provides participants with a better understanding of how the NCC carries out its mission of ensuring the U.S. cotton industry’s seven segments can compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad.

Specifically, participants get an in-depth look at: 1) the U.S. cotton industry infrastructure and the issues affecting the industry’s economic well-being; 2) the U.S. political process; 3) the NCC’s programs as well as its policy development and implementation process and 4) Cotton Council International’s activities aimed at developing and maintaining export markets for U.S. cotton, manufactured cotton products and cottonseed products.

The Emerging Leaders Program also provides participants with professional development and communications training such as presentation and business etiquette, instruction for engaging with the news media, and utilizing social media tools and tactics.

Class members will participate in three sessions. The first session, set for the week of June 8, 2025, in Memphis and St. Louis, will provide an orientation to the NCC, professional development and communication skills training and an agribusiness briefing. During the second session, class members will see policy development at the NCC’s 2026 Annual Meeting in February. The third session, to be conducted later in 2026 in Washington, DC, will provide a focus on policy implementation.