Ellie Strubhar: Topflight Grain

​Hello! My name is Ellie Strubhar, and I’m from Bloomington, IL. Growing up around our family farm I developed a passion for agriculture. I’m a junior at the University of Illinois majoring in Agriculture and Consumer Economics with a concentration in Agribusiness Markets and Management. After courses like Ag Marketing, Commodity Futures and Options, and a past internship with Advance Trading, I’ve become excited for a future career in the grain industry. I’m thankful to have been selected as a recipient of the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois Industry Immersion Scholarship which gave me the opportunity to job-shadow at Topflight Grain this fall. 
 
On my first day job shadowing, I was able to meet and learn a little bit about everyone in the office. I spent a lot of time talking with Merchandiser Jeremy Glauner. This was super interesting as Grain Merchandising is what I am hoping to pursue as a career. I also met with Derrick Bruhn, General Manager and learned about his background, the company background, and about the different Topflight locations. I met with Kelley Lawhorn as well who is a Grain Originator.  Kelley was also a part of the Industry Immersion Tour. Although by the time I started job shadowing the busy season was almost over, I did get to see a few trucks come through the facilities.  
 
Two of my favorite parts of job shadowing were getting to sit through a board meeting as well as getting to visit different Topflight elevators. I enjoyed the board meeting because I was able to hear and learn about some of the background details that go into a company that I hadn’t thought about or previously learned in class. Part of the board consisted of farmers which made it interesting to hear their opinions more from the production side. Daily I was at the Monticello elevator, but I was also able to see the Milmine, and Pierson facilities While at Milmine I was able to watch a train being loaded and see all of the different aspects of that. Pierson is currently undergoing a large renovation and I was able to see some of the newer parts as well as hear future development plans. 
 
I am very grateful to have been chosen as a recipient of the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois Industry Immersion Scholarship as well as for the opportunity to job-shadow at Topflight Grain. It was a great application of the information I’ve learned in my classes, to the real world. I look forward to using everything I’ve learned at Topflight in my future courses, internships, and career.