Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT
Press Release
Iroquois Valley’s Board of Directors unanimously appointed Christopher Zuehlsdorff as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Company, following William “Bill” Stoddart’s departure from the organization, effective February 27, 2023. The Company and Mr. Stoddart parted ways amicably, and the team at Iroquois Valley wish him success in his future endeavors.
Mr. Zuehlsdorff assumes the CEO role after serving as Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure as COO, Mr. Zuehlsdorff demonstrated exceptional leadership during a time of unprecedented growth for the company. He led initiatives to strengthen management, internal processes, and team cohesion.
“I am thrilled to be the next CEO of Iroquois Valley. The organization has a bright future supporting independent organic farmers. With the backing of our team, mission-aligned investors, and independent organic farmers, the organization is well-placed to continue its growth,” Mr. Zuehlsdorff said.
As a career investment professional who grew up on a small family dairy farm in Minnesota, Mr. Zuehlsdorff understands firsthand the relationship between forward-thinking investment strategy and responsible land stewardship. Throughout his nearly two decade-long career in investment management, most recently as Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Investments at EnTrust Global, Mr. Zuehlsdorff has covered most asset classes and investment strategies across public and private markets. Since 2016, Mr. Zuehlsdorff has served as a board member of The Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, a non-profit organization operating in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Iroquois Valley’s Board Chair, Dr. Stephen Rivard, expressed his gratitude to the staff and board for cultivating stability and cohesion during a period of innovation and growth. “The last twelve months have been among our organization’s most impactful. The Company closed twenty new real estate investments totaling $16 million in partnership with independent organic farmers. We expanded to three new states (North Carolina, Kansas, and Missouri) and received 170 new investments from both existing and new investors. We would not have been able to achieve this success without the support and patience of our farmers and mission-aligned investors. Chris is qualified to lead the organization and leverage the skills of our experienced staff, all of whom have been with the Company between two to twelve years. We look forward to supporting Chris in his new role.”
Please reach out to Donna Holmes, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations with comments and questions at dholmes@iroquoisvalleyfarms.com.
About Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, PBC
Iroquois Valley is a regenerative finance company that provides land security and financial services to organic farmers by raising capital from mission-driven investors. The Company offers long-term leases, mortgage loans, and operating lines of credit to organic and transitioning farmers and ranchers throughout the United States. The Company raises equity and debt from a broad base of investors, financial advisors, and institutions. Iroquois Valley was among the first organic farmland impact investments to enable non-accredited individuals to invest; they now make up twenty-five percent of its equity investors. Iroquois Valley is a public benefit corporation that creates impact one farm and one relationship at a time.
