Internships- DRAFT
Internship Opportunities
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Grow Your Potential With NEW Cooperative
NEW Cooperative is invested in our intern’s growth for success. NEW Cooperative offers ample opportunities for interns to make connections with our team and other companies in our communities. During the 2022 summer internship program NEW schedule two sperate times to bring interns together for tours and an industry professional’s panel. At our first gathering we toured the CJ Bio America Plant and Calcium Products Facilities. After tours we met back at our headquarters for an industry professional’s panel, where we heard from representatives of Iowa Corn, United States Soybean Export Council, and Iowa State University Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering / ISU Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex. At our next gathering we tour a few of our locations, Roelyn, Pomeroy Feed Mill, and the Port of Blencoe. We wanted to show our interns all the different possibilities that NEW Cooperative has to offer.
Success Stories From Intern to Employee
Sam Pitstick
Background: Sam grew up on a family farm in Fonda, IA and started out attending South Dakota State University. After a year he transferred to Iowa State University in order to continue to work on his family operation. In 2021 Sam graduated with a Degree in Ag Studies and is currently an Agronomy Sales Specialist based out of Pomeroy.
Beginning to Now: Sam’s first internship with NEW Cooperative was an Agronomy internship, this internship was his first exposure to the seed sales world. His second internship with NEW Cooperative was also an agronomy internship. However, he was given more responsibilities and held more of a sale technician role. Throughout his internships Sam gained a lot of knowledge about the different varieties of seed and how they work in different locations. After graduating Sam was hired as an Agronomy Sales Technician based out of Roelyn, he quickly transitioned into an Agronomy Sales Specialist Based out of Pomeroy. In this new position Sam spends a lot of time talking with Growers and figuring out what products are best for them and their fields.
Most Surprising About NEW: “One thing that surprised me the most was the amount of communication that goes on within the company and how fast messages get relayed back and forth. I came knowing they communicated well but seeing it firsthand is shocking, we are up to 60 something locations now and we don’t bat an eye.”
Advice for Future NEW Cooperative Employee’s / Interns: “Utilize your time here, don’t be afraid to ask questions.” “Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the company. I have not had one person that I have reached out to in this company that has not answered my questions or referred me to someone who can answer my questions. Everyone at NEW Cooperative is super helpful and friendly. You are interning to learn the best way to do that is by asking questions. In my opinion you are learning from the best here, use that to your advantage.” “Stive for greatness and do the best you can day in and day out, and you will succeed in this company.”
Garrett Nelson
Background: Garrett Nelson grew up in Humboldt, Iowa on a family farm which led him to attend Iowa State and earn his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Business/Economics along with a minor in Agronomy. After college Garrett found himself in Kansas as a grain merchandiser and quickly realized he wanted to stay closer to home. Garrett reached out to one of NEW Cooperative’s Senior Grain Merchandiser’s and was hired on as NEW’s first Grain Originator for all NEW Cooperative Feed Mills.
Beginning to Now: Garrett started out as an Operations Intern who requested to sit in the grain department and learn for a week. Once hired at NEW Garrett started working out of the Pomeroy location in January 2018 helping farmers market their grain along with watching the markets to gain a solid understanding of what affects the grain markets daily. In February 2019 Garrett became a Grain Merchandiser based out of the Fort Dodge Headquarters. “In this new role I continued to originate grain for our feed mills but additionally would run logistics/merchandise our grain in Region 5”
Most Surprising About NEW: “NEW Coop is a company that is one of the few cooperatives in the nation that is profitable and knows the balance between expansion and servicing the customers we already have. A “NEW” customer is treated just like a farmer that has worked with us since its inception. The money that built our coop is the farmers we service and that is not forgotten on a daily basis.”
Advice for Future NEW Cooperative Employee’s / Interns: “Even though you are hired as an Agronomy/Operation/Feed/Grain intern, make sure you visit the other departments. You never know what might peak your interest. When I interned, I was operations in Clare but contacted the grain department to just sit in and learn for a week. This ended up being a full-time opportunity 5 years after interning. Also, make sure you ask questions. You won’t get much out of anything if you aren’t inquisitive.”
Braden Holtorf
Background: Branden grew up on a farm outside of Pomeroy that sparked his passion for agriculture. That passion led him to study at Iowa State University and then to work at NEW Cooperative in Pomeroy as an Agronomy Salesmen. “I came to New Cooperative because I have always liked working in the agriculture field. Farming is something I always wanted to do but the opportunity wasn’t available at the time. Being in the agronomy sales field you get to work firsthand in the farming industry. Also, Dad (Marlyn Holtorf) has worked at New Coop and been a manager for over 25 years. Listening to him talk about the company and being around it led me here.”
Beginning to Now: “I started working for NEW in my spare time in high school, from there I was an agronomy intern in Palmer for 2 years. After college I accepted a position in Palmer to be an Agronomy Sales Tech. I was there right shy of a year before coming to Pomeroy to be an Agronomy Sales Specialist after Gene Goedert retired.”
Most Surprising about NEW: “What surprised me most is the amount of area and customer base we serve.”
Advice for Future NEW Cooperative Employee’s / Interns: “Start early with the company. NEW Cooperative is a strong company to work for and values their employees. It did not take me long to work my way to my current position.”
