Carolina Farm Credit CEO, Michael R. Morton, Retires; Vance C. Dalton, Jr. Appointed as New CEO

Mark A. Bray, Chairman of the Carolina Farm Credit Board of Directors announces that after almost 36 years with the Farm Credit System, Michael R. Morton, CEO of Carolina Farm Credit will retire on December 31, 2013. The board of directors appointed Vance C. Dalton, Jr. as the new CEO of Carolina Farm Credit to succeed Morton upon his retirement as of January 1, 2014.

Statesville, NC (PRWEB) December 05, 2013

Mark A. Bray, Chairman of the Carolina Farm Credit Board of Directors announces that after almost 36 years with the Farm Credit System, Michael R. Morton, CEO of Carolina Farm Credit will retire on December 31, 2013.

Morton's Farm Credit career began in 1978 when he was hired as a Loan Officer Trainee/Assistant Branch Manager for Mountain Farm Credit in the Asheville office. Since then he has worked for Farm Credit in multiple roles including Branch Manager of the Waynesville office of Mountain Farm Credit, Branch Manager of the Mocksville office of Ideal Production Credit Association, Vice President of the credit department of Piedmont Farm Credit, Senior Vice President/Chief Operations Manager of Piedmont Farm Credit, Senior Vice President/Chief Credit Manager of Piedmont Farm Credit, Executive Vice President/Chief Lending Officer of Carolina Farm Credit, Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Carolina Farm Credit, and President/CEO of Carolina Farm Credit.

Morton serves on the board of the N.C. Cooperative Council, N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, N.C. Agribusiness Council, and Yadkin Valley Telephone and Yadtel, Inc.

Morton and his wife Melody have a son, Zac who lives in Burlington and their daughter, Emily Moore resides in Mocksville, N.C. with her husband Brian and their daughters Brily and Ellie Grace.

Upon retirement, Morton plans to continue living in Advance, N.C. and stay active as a member of Fork Baptist Church where he serves on the deacon board, as a Sunday school teacher, and member of the adult choir. Morton plans to spend time with his family and to stay involved in the local community.

“It has been a blessing to spend my entire career with Farm Credit-an agriculture service cooperative,” said Morton. “Words cannot express how grateful I am to those who have helped me along the way. The relationships I have developed through Carolina Farm Credit will always be treasured and I look forward to watching Carolina Farm Credit and N.C. agriculture prosper in the future.”

The board of directors appointed Vance C. Dalton, Jr. as the new CEO of Carolina Farm Credit. Dalton was promoted in December 2012 to Chief Operating Officer and appointed by the board of directors to succeed Morton upon his retirement as of January 1, 2014.

Dalton has over 20 years of experience with Farm Credit. He worked as an area livestock agent for the N.C. State University Cooperative Extension Service prior to coming to Farm Credit in 1993. Dalton began his career with Piedmont Farm Credit as a Loan Officer in the Statesville service center. He also held the roles of Branch Manager of the Newton office, Branch Manager of the Lincolnton office, Vice President/Special Assets Manager of Carolina Farm Credit, Senior Vice President/Chief Credit Officer of Carolina Farm Credit, Senior Vice President/Chief Lending Officer of Carolina Farm Credit, and Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Carolina Farm Credit.

Dalton lives in Maiden with his wife, Lori and sons, Isaac and Jake. He serves on the board of directors for the N.C. 4-H Development Fund, N.C. Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation, N.C. Cooperative Council, and Catawba County Agricultural Foundation. He attends Denver United Methodist Church and is a member of Gideons International.

Dalton said, “It has been a great blessing to have served the farmers and rural families of the western half of North Carolina for the past 20 years at Carolina Farm Credit. Getting to work with the people who are the foundation of our country, producing food and fiber to feed and clothe the world is a great privilege. We have a tremendously talented and knowledgeable staff whose passion for agriculture shines through in everything they do. I look forward to helping position Carolina Farm Credit to continue to be a trusted source of credit and financial services for many years to come.”

Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 36 service centers. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, crop insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.

Carolina Farm Credit serves over 8,800 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.3 billion. The association's territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with service centers located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Boone, Browns Summit, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Ellerbe, Graham, Hendersonville, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Marshall, Mocksville, Monroe, Murphy, Newton, Pilot Mountain, Roxboro, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Shelby, Siler City, Sparta, Spindale, Statesville, Taylorsville, Wadesboro, Waynesville, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, and Yanceyville.

Carolina Farm Credit was recognized as a 2013 Best Employer in North Carolina. The list of the Best Employers in North Carolina was created by Business North Carolina, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – NC State Council and Best Companies Group.

Directors for Carolina Farm Credit are Mark A. Bray, Chairman, Lawsonville; L. Kim Starnes, Vice-Chairman, Salisbury; John M. Barnard, Statesville; E. Bernard Beck, Seagrove; W. Rex Bell, Statesville; David M. Coltrane, Pleasant Garden; Susie J. Gambill, Sparta; Joseph A. Lail, Shelby; W. Steve Love, Graham; Bobby J. “Bud” Matthews, East Bend; Clark M. Newlin, Haw River; Thomas E. Porter, Jr., Concord; Tony L. Ragan, Sanford; D. Kaleb Rathbone, Waynesville; Lewis E. Smith, Lincolnton; Vickie N. Smitherman, East Bend; Dr. Alton Thompson, Summerfield.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/12/prweb11392895.htm