'Their decades of service have played a vital role in shaping the Cooperative into the strong and successful company it is today.'

The Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida is marking a major leadership transition, with two longtime Board members retiring after a combined 70 years of service and two new Directors joining the organization.

John L. Hundley and William R. “Bill” Kennedy are retiring from the Cooperative’s Board of Directors, ending decades of work helping guide one of South Florida’s key agricultural organizations.

Hundley leaves after 40 years on the Board. He was first elected in 1986 and went on to hold several leadership posts, including Chair from 2013 to 2020. He also served as Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer.

His family operation, Hundley Farms, Inc., became a member of the Cooperative in 1977.

Kennedy is stepping down after 30 years on the Board, having joined in 1996. His tenure included periods of growth and change for the Cooperative, where he was credited with providing steady leadership and institutional knowledge.

Kennedy Farms, Inc. joined the Cooperative in 1983, and William Kennedy Farm, Inc. followed in 1995.

“John and Bill represent the very best of our Cooperative — dedicated leaders, respected farmers, and stewards of an organization built on the strength of its Member-Growers,” said Matt Hoffman, President and CEO of the Cooperative.

Board Chair Robert Underbrink said the two retiring members helped shape the organization’s current footing.

“Their decades of service have played a vital role in shaping the Cooperative into the strong and successful company it is today. We are deeply grateful for their leadership and lasting contributions,” Underbrink said.

As Hundley and Kennedy exit, the Cooperative is adding Benjamin “Ben” Boynton and Cooper Hopkins to the Board.

Boynton brings both agricultural ties and business experience to the role. He is the grandson of founding Board member Joe Tom Boynton, giving him family roots in the Cooperative’s history and the broader South Florida farming community.

Boynton co-founded a financial services firm and holds leadership roles with Wedgworth Farms, Inc. and other community organizations.

Hopkins, meanwhile, represents the next generation of Cooperative leadership. A fourth-generation farmer and Hundley’s grandson, Hopkins has worked in farming operations since childhood and now works full time with Hundley Farms, Inc.

His background includes vegetable production and involvement in industry leadership programs and agricultural organizations.

“These new directors embody both the heritage and the future of our Cooperative,” Hoffman said. “We are confident that Ben and Cooper will build upon the strong foundation laid by those before them and help lead the Cooperative forward in delivering the greatest value to our Member-Growers.”

The Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida includes Member-Growers farming about 80,000 acres of sugarcane in South Florida. Together, they produce, harvest and process sugarcane into raw sugar for domestic and global markets.