Opportunities to improve lives Outgoing chair reflects on nine years with the MEDA board
W
hen Tim Penner reflects on his MEDA involvements over the years, he uses words like exhilarating and opportunities. “It’s so exhilarating that all of these great things have happened,” says the Kansas businessman. Penner completes nine years on the board, most recently as chair, at MEDA’s annual meeting in Tucson in early November. MEDA has transformed the lives of many for the better, providing opportunity through economic development, he said. “There’s so many good things that we have done, but I really think the future holds so much more.” Penner is chief executive officer of agricultural equipment manufacturer Harper Industries. He first became aware of MEDA in the 1980s, when he and his wife Faith served with Mennonite Central Committee in Bolivia. MEDA was also active in Bolivia then. Staff of the two organizations would sometimes cross paths, as they were cooperating on a bean growing project. “I saw how MEDA gave opportunities to farmers in rural Bolivia.” The Penners’ MCC community development work made them aware of the huge need people have to understand their situation from a business Tim Penner The Marketplace November December 2019
and economic perspective. “I was always really impressed with MEDA.” When he moved to Kansas in 1991 to take a job there, the Kansas MEDA chapter invited him to join their board. “There’s quite an openness to working with MEDA there,” he recalls. Dinner meetings of 75 to 100 people were common. Large expressions of support for MEDA projects from Kansans continue to be the norm. Three years ago, 18 supporters went on a MEDA tour to Nicaragua, he said. “When we do the right thing and have a measure of success, people will want to join you.” After buying Harper Industries in the late 1990s, Tim Penner discusses a convention program he began attending annual with board member Mryl Nofziger MEDA conventions. During his time on the the lives of many in emerging marMEDA board, Penner has visited past kets, he said. or current MEDA projects in Kenya, In February, Penner was at a Tanzania, Jordan, Paraguay, Bolivia, Sam’s Club store in Wichita with Peru and the Ukraine. MEDA’s Tanzania country director The Penners’ son Daniel, a video (who was visiting Kansas). They got producer in Seattle, did a MEDA into see how a MEDA lead firm helped ternship with the Ghana Greater Opthe labor of Tanzanian farmers to portunities for Rural Women (GROW) reach North American consumers. project. That experience was transforThe previous year, in January mative both for him and the women 2018, Penner was part of a MEDA soybean farmers, Tim said. group visiting farmers in rural MEDA’s lead firm model supports Tanzania. He heard how MEDA lead businesses that in turn work with firm Natural Extracts Inc. (NEI) was farmers to grow higher value comteaching farmers like Martha Kisanga modities. That approach provides to grow organic vanilla. amazing opportunities that improve Growing half an acre of vanilla 6
