STOCKTON, CA (Feb 2014) – American AgCredit, headquartered in Santa Rosa California, recently announced the pending retirement of William S. “Bud” Bensley who has most recently held the position of Senior Vice President – Credit in the Association’s Valley District with branches located in Stockton, Turlock, Oakdale and Merced. 

Born and raised on a dairy farm in the Village of Springville in Western New York, Bensley graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in economics following service in the Navy. 

Over the past 38 years Bensley has held various administrative and management positions in the Farm Credit System starting with Farm Credit of Southern Maine in 1976 followed by relocation to Livermore Production Credit Association in Livermore, CA in 1980.   

Bensley has served on numerous committees and organizations over the years including the San Joaquin County Ag Advisory Committee, Central Valley Farmland Trust, San Joaquin Ag Foundation, Central Valley Chapter of the Risk Management Association, Ag Committee for California State University Stanislaus, Ag Science Center Cabinet and is a member of the Linden Lions Club as well as other memberships and affiliations. 

“I feel honored to have had the privilege of working with the agriculture community here in the valley over these many years,” Bensley stated. “I am very confident that we will find a way to successfully adjust to the challenges we will face in the future.” 

“We will certainly miss Bud’s creativity and enthusiasm,” said Chief Marketing Officer Terry Lindley. “He worked a lot with outreach in the Valley Region, always believed strongly in the customer and did everything to provide them with as much service as possible.” 

He is uniquely community‐minded, and served a lot of organizations throughout his region, added Lindley. “He is innovative in that kind of outreach and support for agriculture.”

About American AgCredit 

Founded in 1916, American AgCredit is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, and is the nation’s 6th largest Farm Credit cooperative. American AgCredit specializes in providing financial services to agricultural and rural customers throughout California, Nevada, Central Kansas, Northern Oklahoma, Central and Western Colorado, and Northern New Mexico – as well as to capital markets customers in 30 states. 

Financial services provided by American AgCredit include production and mortgage financing, equipment and vehicle leasing, crop and life insurance, lines of credit, and the Young, Beginning and Small farmer program. In addition, the Association provides interest‐free loans for qualifying 4‐H and FFA AgYouth programs, as well as college scholarships to young people interested in agriculture.  

For more information about American AgCredit’s financial services, call 800‐800‐4865 or visit the website at www.agloan.com for a listing of offices by region.