CoBank to hold special election for two board seats in 2026

DENVER (October 14, 2026) – CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit associations throughout the United States, today announced that it will hold a special election for two board seats in the fourth quarter of 2026. The seats in question are the modified equity board seat in the West Region and the one-stockholder-one-vote seat in the Central Region.

Previously, the board had determined to hold a special election for the two seats during the 2027 calendar year, concurrent with the bank’s standard board election cycle. Based on subsequent discussions with the Farm Credit Administration, the bank’s independent regulator, the special election process will be moved up so that successful candidates can be seated on January 1, 2027.

The special election follows a stockholder vote in the spring of 2026 in which stockholders did not approve proposed governance bylaws amendments that would have eliminated the two seats as part of a broader board restructuring recommendation.

Complete information about the special election timeline and nomination process is available in the governance section of the CoBank website. Voting will take place in the first half of December 2026, with successful candidates announced shortly thereafter.

New director appointed

The CoBank board also announced today that it has appointed Chris Isaacson as an appointed director for a four-year term beginning in January 2027, following the retirement of William Farrow, who has served as an appointed director since 2007. Isaacson, a seasoned financial technology executive with nearly three decades of experience, is recognized for his leadership in technology, operations and market infrastructure. He recently retired as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Cboe Global Markets. Isaacson has deep roots in Midwestern production agriculture as a member of a multi-generation family farm.

“Chris brings an exceptional combination of financial services expertise, technology leadership and firsthand understanding of agriculture,” said CoBank Board Chair Brandon Wittman. “His experience helping lead and modernize some of the world's most important market infrastructure organizations, together with his strong ties to production agriculture, will add valuable perspective to our board as we continue to support rural America and position CoBank for the future.”

About CoBank

CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving almost 80,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.