Our Leadership Team

Joe H. Hayman has been with the Farm Credit System since 1994. He has worked in various capacities within the System, formerly serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Texas AgFinance, FCS, and most recently as Chief Executive Officer at Southern AgCredit, ACA, for 12 years until joining the Association in February 2020. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Agricultural Economics and is a past member of the TAMU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Development Council, the Farm Credit System President’s Planning Committee (PPC), and the PPC’s Business Practices Committee. He has previously served on the Dixie National Livestock Show & Rodeo Sale of Champions Committee, the Thad Cochran Agricultural Leadership Council Board, and the Mississippi 4-H Foundation Board.

Nicholas (Nick) Acosta joined the Association in January 2011 and has held various accounting roles within the Association. He became Controller in January 2018 and was promoted to Chief Financial Officer of the Association in 2020. Mr. Acosta, originally from El Paso, Texas, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from LeTourneau University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has held this certification since 2013.

Matt James joined the Association in August 1998 and has held various roles within the lending and credit departments. He started his career with the Association as a loan officer in the Stephenville branch, later becoming the credit office president. In 2011, Mr. James transitioned into the role of regional president and later in 2018 became the senior vice president of Commercial Credit. In 2020, he was promoted to Chief Lending Officer. Effective Jan 1, 2023, Mr. James was named Chief Credit & Lending Officer. Originally from Wills Point, Texas, he grew up on a small farm where his family raised Brangus cattle, and he was active in the FFA. Mr. James earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Industries from Tarleton State University.

Hans C. Pettit joined the Association in April 2021 as the Chief Risk Officer. Prior to joining the Association, Mr. Pettit served as a consultant to the Farm Credit Industry for 10-plus years, assisting associations with their risk management, growth strategies, and board development. His previous career experience includes 13 years with HORNE LLP in Ridgeland, Miss., where he served as a partner in its assurance and advisory practice; six years with Colonial Bank in Montgomery, Ala., where he served as their Senior Vice President, AgTrust, ACA — 2022 Annual Report 63 Director of External Reporting and Accounting Policy; and five years with Ernst & Young LLP in Birmingham, Ala. and San Antonio, Texas, where he served as a manager in their assurance and advisory practice. Mr. Pettit also serves on the board of Excel by 5, Inc., a Mississippi nonprofit focused on early childhood education. Originally from Montgomery, Ala., Mr. Pettit earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Auburn University at Montgomery and his Master of Accountancy degree from the University of Alabama.

Justin Renard joined the Association in April 2021 as the Chief Information Officer. Mr. Renard has more than 24 years of experience in the Farm Credit System since starting his career at the FCBT and has overseen the IT areas of data, infrastructure, support, security, compliance, and development. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University. He has previously served on various Farm Credit System workgroups and committees, and his family has been involved in production agriculture in South Texas for more than 75 years.

Jeff Royal has worked in the field of appraisal for over 35 years, first as an appraiser in Dallas, Texas, before joining the Farm Credit System in 1998. During his tenure at AgTrust Farm Credit, Mr. Royal has overseen all appraisal operations and assumed the role of Chief Collateral Risk Officer in 2020. A native of Menard, Texas, he grew up on his family’s cattle, sheep, and goat ranch. He earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and Master of Agriculture in Land Economics and Real Estate from Texas A&M University. He enjoys being involved with the Fort Worth Stock Show as a superintendent of the junior lamb and breeding sheep shows.

Tessie Doyle has worked in credit for over 16 years, beginning as a credit analyst for a commercial bank in Granbury before joining AgTrust Farm Credit in 2010. Tessie has managed the credit analyst department and overseen the underwriting process, as the Director of Credit Analysis and VP of Credit Operations. She now serves as of the SVP of Credit. Tessie grew up in Bronte, Texas, and is a graduate of Tarleton State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Mr. Wiethorn serves as Senior Vice President of Lending for AgTrust Farm Credit and Regional President over the Western Region which includes Stephenville, Cleburne, Abilene, and Sweetwater branches. He was previously the Credit Office President in the Waco Credit Office, where he began his career as a loan officer trainee in June 1999. He has 23 years of experience with the Farm Credit System. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. He lives on a farm outside of McGregor with an operation consisting of cattle, corn, wheat, and rental property. He is married to Kathy Wiethorn, has two teenage children, and they are members of First United Methodist Waco where Mr. Wiethorn serves on the finance committee.

Mr. Hartman serves as Regional President of AgTrust Farm Credit’s Northern Region which includes Denton, Sherman, Fort Worth, Weatherford, Paris, and New Boston branches. Mr. Hartman joined the association in 2004 upon earning his Bachelors of Science degree in Agribusiness from Texas Tech University. His career began as Loan Officer Trainee in the Denton branch, where he later became Credit Office President. He transitioned to Regional President in 2020 after serving as Credit Office President for the Denton and Sherman Branches. Craig was raised on his family’s commercial cow-calf operation in Cooke and Montague counties. He and his wife Mattie, along with their two children, reside in Muenster, Texas, where Craig serves on the Muenster ISD School Board.

Mr. Nors serves as Regional President of AgTrust Farm Credit’s Southern Region which includes Waco, Hillsboro, Lampasas, Georgetown, and Corsicana branches. Nors joined the Association in May of 2006 and has held various roles within the lending and credit departments. He started his career with the Association as a Credit Analyst in the Waco branch, later becoming a Loan Officer there in 2008. In 2012, Aaron transitioned into the role of Waco Credit Office President. In 2018, Aaron began serving as the Credit Office President for both the Waco and Hillsboro offices. Aaron is from Abbott, Texas, where he grew up on his family’s dairy farm. Aaron earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University.

Brett Valentine has been with the Farm Credit System since 1997 and has served in many roles during his time in the System. Since receiving his B.S. from New Mexico State with an emphasis in Animal Science, he has been a passionate advocate for supporting the growth of dairymen, ranchers, and farmers in New Mexico and West Texas by leading ag lending for Farm Credit of New Mexico, creating Rabo AgriFinance’s operations in New Mexico, and serving as Chief Executive Officer of Ag New Mexico, FCS, ACA since 2017. A native New Mexican, he grew up on the family diversified cattle and farming operation in Socorro County. NM. He and his wife Jackey, along with four sons have continued that legacy in Clovis, New Mexico, where they have lived since 2000 and operate a combination cattle and farming operation.

W. Shane Hall has been with the Farm Credit System since 2000. He has held various positions within the system and banking world, formerly at Farm Credit of New Mexico, U.S. AgBank, First American Bank, and most recently as Chief Lending Officer at Ag New Mexico, FCS. Mr. Hall graduated from New Mexico State University in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Extension and Education. Prior to starting his lending career, he taught agricultural education and coached football. Hall started his lending career in Tucumcari, New Mexico, with Farm Credit of New Mexico. He then was offered, and took, an opportunity to work for U.S. AgBank in Wichita, Kansas, with its Quality Assurance team in 2003. He then came back to New Mexico and joined the Roswell branch of Farm Credit of New Mexico. In 2012, he took the opportunity to broaden his base of knowledge and went to work for First American Bank as the Bank Center President of Roswell, New Mexico. Mr. Hall has specialized in business development and has worked with all types of credit. Shane has served on the Chaves CASA Board of Directors, Roswell Chamber of Commerce, The New Mexico Junior Livestock Foundation, and as the Auctioneer for numerous Fairs and Fundraisers.

Douglas S. Defoor has been with the Farm Credit System for nearly 18 years, and his career began in the System in 1997. He has worked in various capacities within the System, most recently as Chief Credit Officer and Chief Appraisal Officer at Ag New Mexico, FCS for nearly 5 years, joining the Association in March 2019. Prior to returning to the System, he worked within the Ag Strategies Group of MetLife Ag Finance for approximately 8 years formerly serving as the Central Regional Office Liaison and the global head of valuations for their $20 Billion agricultural real estate lending platform. He is a graduate of Eastern New Mexico University with degrees in Finance and Business Administration.  After graduation, he went on to attain his MAI and AI-GRS designations through the Appraisal Institute and has contributed to several published books, most recently Land Valuation: Real Solutions to Complex Issues (Appraisal Institute, 2022) and notably Rural Property Valuation (Appraisal Institute, 2017).  He’s also served in various leadership roles within the Rio Grande Chapter (President and Director) and Kansas City Chapter (Director) of the Appraisal Institute.