Meet the Team

Zane Abner
I was involved in agriculture at an early age; in 1st grade I remember helping my dad set tubes when we were farming west of Scottsbluff, NE. Our family moved east from there, I spent most of my life in Atkinson, NE and call it home to this day. I started working for a local farmer in Jr. High until I graduated. After graduation from Atkinson West Holt, I went on to Wayne State College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Finance. I spent 4 years with BankFirst where I focused my time as a credit analyst and working in the loan department learning valuable information from the credit side of Ag operations. From there I made the transition from banking to the commodity world. Over the next 9 years I worked with producers assisting them with developing a marketing plan specific to their farm, risk management, and basis trading their grain as an elevator would. I have vastly enjoyed working one on one with producers and developing relationships that will last years into the future. I have a wonderful family at home, my wife Jennifer is originally from Humphrey and taught at Lindsay Holy Family for 5 years and now stays at home with our 4 kids. Our four children keep us busy and smiling. We have one girl and three boys, Haven, Kline, Mcoy, and Roman.

John Lenhart
I spent the first 9 years of my career in the grain industry working for Gavilon and then Bartlett in Iowa and Nebraska. That gave me a lot of valuable insight into trading and how the markets function. I then joined Tredas in 2017 and work with farmers across Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri helping market grain and cattle. I grew up in Bethany, MO, a small farming community in NW Missouri, and graduated from the University of Missouri with a BS in Business Finance and Real Estate. I live in Nebraska City, NE with my wife Tommie and our three boys Cole, Ian, and Eli where we have a small row crop farm.

Phil Conradt
Growing up in O’Neill, NE, I had the opportunity to spend my summers working on a farm/ranch in Holt County. I continued my education at Nebraska Wesleyan University. In college, I had several internships primarily on the consulting side of the grain industry. I then went to work for Gavilon Grain trading cash grain. While there, I had the chance to trade through some of the most volatile basis and futures markets the grain industry has ever seen. It was during this time I learned some great lessons, not only from a risk-management standpoint but also being able to extract value out of the market when the market trends are less-than-favorable. After my time at Gavilon, I realized the thought process and market knowledge would be more effective if used on a farm-by-farm basis. Now with Tredas, I have the opportunity to work one-on-one with farmers implementing a sound risk management strategy, while efficiently adjusting to the ever-changing market conditions. My wife Stefanie and I have 3 boys at home, in my limited free time I like to golf and spend time with friends and family.

Drew Jensen
Growing up in Exeter, NE, I experienced first hand the challenges & rewards associated with being part of the family farm. After graduating from University of Nebraska-Lincoln with degrees in Finance & Agribusiness, I started my career with Bartlett Grain. During my time there, I had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of grain merchandising and rail freight logistics from some of the best in the industry. In 2004, I joined Applebees International in supply chain management where I focused my efforts on procurement & commodity risk management. While at Applebees, I was exposed to a lot of different areas of the food chain and the critical role risk management plays – all the way from the bag of seed to the restaurant plate. During this time, I obtained my MBA from University of Kansas. In 2006, I realized I wanted to work one-on-one with family farms and became a commodity risk consultant & crop insurance agent and have enjoyed it ever since! My wife Lyndsay & I are blessed with two very busy boys, Gavin & Taggart.

Clint Hoffman
I’ve been in the commodity and cash grain consulting business for farmers for 20+ years since graduating from UNL with a degree in Diversified Ag/Agricultural Economics. When I started in the grain marketing industry, farmers were faced with sub $2.00 corn prices and tight margins until the weather and demand volatility changed the markets dramatically. Navigating those markets gave me priceless experience to help farmers approach grain marketing with sound risk management strategies, and as a crop insurance agent, it allowed me to help farmers decide which policy best fits their needs. I joined Tredas in April of 2016. I’m excited to be with a fun, experienced team who collectively works together to help our clients navigate the grain markets. My wife Jody and I have three children Turner, Cadence, and Crew. In my free time I enjoy our acreage and garden, camping with the family, hunting, and fishing.

John Pfanner
My experience in agriculture started at a very young age as I grew up on our diversified family farm in northeast Missouri. I was exposed to; farrow to finish hogs, small cow/calf herd, brood ewes, and row crop farming. I attended college at the University of Missouri and graduated in 2005 with two degrees, Ag Econ and Ag Business Management. From there, I started with DeBruce Grain which eventually became Gavilon Grain in 2010. In my now 16 years in the industry, I have traded a variety of truck, rail, and barge markets, managing logistics, and most importantly managing risk/exposure to extremely volatile grain markets. I made the switch to direct farmer consulting with Tredas in 2017.With Tredas, I am able to give the farmer insight into sophisticated strategies that allow them the ability to manage downside risk while maintaining upside potential. In doing so, the farmer maintains his independence in his local cash market and can choose who to deliver his crop to when it is time to ship the physical bushels. Personally, I thrive on seeing others learn, thrive, and reach their growth goals; nothing gives me a bigger sense of pride than seeing a client be able to accelerate their growth plan because they were more profitable than they had budgeted, and I was part of helping them attain that success. I’ve always personally viewed every relationship as a long term one, and at Tredas we are no different. Client retention is the #1 priority and the only way to achieve that is by adding value, you must give more than you get.

Adam Ickes
I’ve been fortunate to have the experiences I’ve had in the commodity industry. After growing up on a farm in Page, NE and graduating from the University of Nebraska, I spent my first 5 years in the cash grain trade. During my time there, I was exposed to every facet of the business possible….cash grain trading of general commodities and specialty grains, managing logistics, understanding risk exposure and how to manage it, and lastly, how to look for and create non-transparent opportunities within the market. From that, I moved to the consulting/brokerage side of the business, and here we are at Tredas! I’ve been lucky to work alongside well respected and seasoned traders. Most importantly, I was exposed to a slew of different thought processes and perceptions – good and bad – that I was able to learn from to develop an independent thought process and apply it to the way we perceive attacking the unknowns of the market today. One thing I’ve learned from this business – if you don’t have a thought process looking forward, it’s easy to get lost. My wife Lindsay and I have a daughter, Nevyn, and spend our time traveling between our homes away from home – Page and Holdrege.

Ethan Bruland
Growing up in Albion, NE, I had the opportunity to live and work in your typical small town farm community. My first taste of agriculture was accompanying my dad to work as he managed hog units throughout the county. Eventually that turned into a part-time and then full-time job of me working in a farrowing unit. I didn’t know it then, but a decade later I’d be making a career in Ag. I received my bachelor’s degree in Ag Business from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and found my home in Humphrey, NE at an up-and-coming Commodity Brokerage and Merchandising company. I was able to hone in on merchandising and trading basis over the next few years, which led me to my current career. Now that I’m with Tredas, I am able to spread that knowledge out over the individual farm and work to improve their bottom line. We’ve established a long-term office location in Lindsay, NE as we love what these small-town communities have to offer. My wife Jaycee and I have 6 kids. Knox, our oldest aspires to be a Tredas consultant or a priest, setting the bar high for what we do here within Tredas. The next 3 are girls; Nova, Karter, and Summit, who are in control and constantly let us know it. Our second son, Whitlee, is the easy one for now and has an extremely care free personality. And lastly, our fourth daughter, Weslie is the other five’s favorite. Our family of 8 is blessed to be a part of the Tredas team.

Doug Simon
I have been a risk management consultant and commodity broker since 1999, working with agribusinesses and diversified farms. From 1990 to 1999, I was President/COO of RF Nature Farm Foods, a Lincoln-based natural foods start-up company that sold bakery mixes and housewares to national retailers such as Macy’s, WholeFoods, Crate & Barrel, and Sam’s. During 1989 and 1990 I was also a principal in LandMark Meats where we exported NHT beef to the United Kingdom. I graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a BA in international affairs and economics. In 1984 I lived in Zambia on an International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) and in 1988 I was a Rotary Fellow at the University of Sydney, Australia where, in conjunction with UNL, I completed my MS in ag economics. I worked in the Agricultural Marketing Center at UNL and taught agricultural economics. I grew up in North Bend and Louisville. I worked on my parent’s farm near Louisville, milked on a dairy and walked beans and put up hay, the old fashioned way. I was born in Ralston, not far from the Papio bottoms where my paternal grandparents and great grandparents farmed. My wife, Nicole is from Toronto. We met in an American history class at UNL. Ben, Zach and Madeleine are our children and all three are graduates of UNL. Nicole and I have three wonderful granddaughters!

MaKenzie Wilson
After growing up on the family farm in Page, NE, I went to the University of Nebraska for two years then transferred to Southeast Community College where I finished receiving my degree in Business Administration. I have been working for Tredas since February 2015 and feel as if I have gained so much knowledge in crop insurance. This team of educated agents has led me to have an interest in this side of the business and tackling the everyday tasks. I take pride in the customer service we offer to our insureds by making sure their crop year runs smoothly.
When I’m not at the office, I love spending time with my husband (Dayne) and little man (Brooks)! You can typically find us at the lake fishing, cruising on the ranger, or playing in the yard!

Justin Morrison
I grew up in small town SW Iowa where my family had a small row crop farm and chemical application business. I graduated from Iowa state in 2007 with an Animal Science degree and sold ethanol byproducts to cattle feeders for the next three years.
I eventually transitioned from feed sales to commodity basis trading for large commercial grain handlers and ethanol plants like DeBruce, Gavilon, Poet, Scoular. I think having significant elevator experience as well as ethanol processor experience makes me a little unique in this space. I moved to north IA in 2011 and have but still have clients and close ties to southern IA. I’m most familiar with Iowa and Minnesota markets, but have clients all over the place. My wife Sarah and I have 3 little boys that keep us on our toes with big personalities and activities.

max Schreiber
I grew up in a small town in central Ohio, where agriculture is a huge part of the community. I spent time working on a few local farms before leaving to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While earning a degree in Finance, I began interning for Tredas in the fall of 2020. My internship proved to be an amazing experience and opened my eyes to the grain industry. I’ve always had an interest in agriculture but was especially drawn to grain marketing and risk management during my time as an intern. I accepted a full-time broker position after graduating in 2021, exited for the opportunity to be a part of such a fun, experienced, and dedicated group of people. I look forward to representing Tredas and helping family farms across the Midwest focus on what the love. In my spare time I enjoy the outdoors, losing golf balls, and spending time with my fiancé, Taylor.

Jamison Jensen
I grew up in Wisner, NE and attended UNL. After college, I spent five years working throughout the US with a national grain trading company. I have experience cross country trading and running shuttle loaders. I have merchandised corn, soybeans, white corn, hard red winter wheat, and sorghum. I enjoy helping clients manage their risks and emotions in a fun and creative way and have been doing so since 2017.

Tyler Regan
Growing up in O’Neill, NE, I was fortunate enough to be raised in a farming and ranching community. I worked on farm and ranch growing up which developed my passion for agriculture. I graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2020 with a degree in Agribusiness. I started as an intern with Tredas in 2018 which has been an astounding experience. Here I have gained knowledge within the risk management side of the grain and cattle marketing industry. In my free time, I enjoy hunting, fishing and golfing.

Colette Cooper
I grew up in David City, Nebraska and spent nearly every weekend helping and learning on my uncle’s farm in North Bend. While in college, I interned as a financial planner and then as a grain merchandiser and quickly realized I could make a greater impact for farmers and ranchers. After graduating with an Ag Econ degree from K State in 2019, I went to work as a broker/market consultant working primarily with farmers and cattle producers in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. My passion for making a difference brought me to Tredas, where I help farmers across Kansas implement and stick to a plan. I am located south of Maple Hill, KS, where my husband and growing family keep me busy outside of work! I love K State football, the Flint Hills, and being outdoors.

Haley Tietjen
I grew up on my family’s farm north of Fairbury, Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018 with a degree in Agribusiness and Marketing with an emphasis in Ag Economics. Growing up watching my dad and grandfather, I witnessed firsthand the immense amount of hard work that is undergone daily to keep a successful operation running. This influenced me to pursue a career in agriculture that would ease the lives of farmers so that they can focus on what is truly important – which led me to Tredas. I began working as an intern for Tredas in January of 2017 and have learned so much about the business of commodity trading and risk management since then. I am a licensed broker and crop insurance agent and enjoy working with producers to implement a risk management strategy closer to where I now call home, Chester, Nebraska. Chester is on the Kansas/Nebraska state-line and where my husband Trent farms with his family. In my free time, I enjoy concerts, lake days, and spending time with family and friends.

Tyson Broekemeier
Growing up in Aurora, NE, I had the opportunity to live in a thriving community that was centered around agriculture and work for a local farm during the summers. After receiving my bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska, I worked for a farmer’s cooperative in northeastern Colorado and south-central Nebraska for almost four years. I spent the majority of my time buying grain from local producers, managing truck/elevator logistics, and overseeing the local grain department. From that, I could see the opportunities available to the farmer on the risk management side of their operation which is where I got my start with Tredas. We have a determined forward-thinking group of people I get to work alongside, with experiences from all angles of the grain industry. We thrive as a company by applying those abilities to help our customers be more profitable. My wife Bobbi and I live in Lincoln and spend a good chunk of our free time traveling to see our families in the Kearney and Albion areas. I enjoy spending time at the lake in the summer, deer hunting in the fall, and any sporting event/competition!

ALEX Gade
I grew up in West Point, NE and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Golf Management and Business. After graduating, I traveled the country working in the golf business and eventually made my way into the insurance industry. I came to Tredas in February of 2019 initially to concentrate on crop insurance but have since moved to focus more on risk management and consulting. Growing up, I always worked around agriculture, whether it was at the neighbors feed yard or going back to work on my grandparent’s farm, which I still do to this day. I would not be where I am today without the things I’ve learned on the farm and being around agriculture. I look forward to working with farmers every day because I know the passion and hard work it takes behind the scenes to run an operation successfully. In my spare time, I love to spend time on the water, playing golf, or hunting.