Chris Olson Named Head of Rural, U.S., at Rabo AgriFinance

CHESTERFIELD, MO (February 15, 2023) – Rabo AgriFinance, a subsidiary of Rabobank, today announced that Chris Olson has been appointed to the position of Head of Rural, U.S. effective March 1, 2023. Olson has served Rabo AgriFinance since 1998, most recently as the General Manager of the Central Territory. He has held numerous management leadership roles throughout his tenure with the company, including Assistant Vice President Regional Coordinator, Regional Vice President, and Managing Director.

In the newly created role, Olson will manage the Rabobank North America’s U.S. rural Direct Lending operations. He’ll have ownership of entire direct lending process at Rabo AgriFinance from origination through closing and will lead the organization’s growth initiatives. Olson will report to Shawn Smeins, Head of Rural, North America, and will be instrumental in the execution of strategic initiatives.

“This appointment is critical as we mature as a top-tier financial services provider solely focused on the U.S. agriculture industry,” said Smeins. “Chris is a natural fit for this role as a result-driven professional who has proven his ability to lead and has a depth and breadth of experience to drive sustainable growth for our customers.”

As the Head of Rural, U.S., Olson brings 25 years of experience at Rabo AgriFinance and will bolster employee engagement within his teams to enable full potential and productivity. In addition, he will motivate direct engagement of the Customer Relationship Team and clients, including attending regional and territory meetings, client events and other customer and employee meetings to help shape a thriving community.

“Rabo AgriFinance is a leader in the U.S. by supporting clients across the entire food value chain feed the world,” said Olson. “I have experienced first-hand over the years our ability to make an impact and bring value to our clients. I look forward to working with our teams to accelerate performance and unleash our full potential to better serve our clients and the agriculture industry.

He is a native of Iowa and has been involved in agriculture his entire life. He was raised on a farm in Grinnell, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Science in finance. He currently sits on the National FFA Foundation Sponsors’ Board.