Micheal
Micheal grew up in a military family and developed a deep connection to agriculture at a young age. What began with raising chickens in his bathtub eventually expanded to managing hogs and steers, shaping a practical, hands-on foundation in production agriculture. His passion for agriculture led him to become heavily involved in the FFA, where he competed nationally in Agronomy and Parliamentary Procedure.
Micheal earned a B.S. in Agribusiness Management from Brigham Young University–Idaho with a minor in Communications. While at BYU–Idaho, he served as the Idaho State Professional Agriculture Student President, leading and mentoring the state association while working to expand its reach. During this time, he developed a strong interest in commodity risk management and agricultural markets.
He built on this foundation by earning an M.S. in Applied Economics from the University of Idaho, with a minor in Agricultural Commodity Risk Management. His graduate research established a baseline study on how Idaho grain producers manage market risk and identified opportunities to encourage the adoption of more strategic commodity risk management practices.
Through his academic and professional work, Micheal has gained hands-on insight into the Pacific Northwest wheat industry, from seed to barge, while building strong relationships with industry professionals. He also has experience trading agricultural commodity futures contracts, further strengthening his applied understanding of market behavior.
Micheal is passionate about commodity risk management, data-driven market analysis, public speaking, and thoughtful discussions about the broader economy. He values understanding diverse perspectives and translating those insights into practical, real-world solutions for producers and agribusinesses.
At DIS, Micheal has leveraged his expertise to support a range of clients by conducting market due diligence for asset acquisitions, evaluating the feasibility of agricultural startups for loan guarantees, and analyzing the long-term economic viability of strategic state-level infrastructure investments, including initiatives that connect industry operations to emerging supply chains.
Education:
- M.S. in Applied Economics, University of Idaho
- Minor: Agricultural Commodity Risk Management
- B.S. in Agribusiness Management, Brigham Young University–Idaho
- Minor: Communications
Expertise:
- Agricultural Commodity Risk Management
- Data and Market Analysis
- Feasibility and Due Diligence
- Public Speaking