Ag Partners Celebrates Jim Ward's Career, Welcomes Casey Biesenthal as Director of Input Financing
Oct 22, 2026
Ag Partners is pleased to announce an upcoming leadership transition as Jim Ward, Director of Crop Insurance and Input Finance, prepares to retire, and Casey Biesenthal joins the cooperative as Director of Input Financing.
Ward began his cooperative career in spring of 1997, and over nearly three decades, has served our customers and member-owners in numerous roles across the organization. Throughout his career, he has led the IT, Energy and Input Financing departments, in addition to selling and overseeing crop insurance. Ward's willingness to take on a wide range of responsibilities has made him an important part of the cooperative's growth and evolution.
Among his many contributions is the development and growth of OnePay, Ag Partners' input financing program. Under Ward's leadership, OnePay has grown substantially and become a valuable financing resource for Ag Partners' member-owners and customers.
Ward currently plans to retire on October 30, 2026, but will continue supporting Ag Partners and assisting with the transition to help ensure continued success of the OnePay program.
“We are incredibly grateful to Jim for the many ways he has served Ag Partners, our employees and our customers throughout his career,” said Brice Elnicki, Chief Revenue Officer of Ag Partners. “His willingness to take on different responsibilities and lead across several areas of our business has made a lasting impact. The growth of OnePay is a great example of that work, and we appreciate his commitment to making this transition a successful one.”
As Ward prepares for retirement, Ag Partners is also looking ahead to the next phase of its input financing program. With the cooperative continuing to grow and the needs of farm operations changing, Ag Partners is making OnePay a greater area of focus within the organization.
Casey Biesenthal will join the team in early November and will focus solely on input financing, working directly with customers and alongside Ag Partners' sales teams to take a more proactive approach to OnePay.
Building on the options already available through OnePay, the goal will be to help customers better understand the programs available to them and identify financing options that align with the products and services they purchase from Ag Partners. The increased focus is intended to make the financing process easier for customers while giving Ag Partners' sales team another resource to help customers plan purchases around the needs of their operations.
“Input financing can be an incredibly valuable tool for our member-owners and customers, especially as the needs and economics of their operations continue to change,” Elnicki said. “We see an opportunity to be more proactive about helping customers understand their options and connect them with programs that fit their operation. Bringing Casey on in a role dedicated to this work allows us to put additional resources behind OnePay and continue improving the customer experience.”
Meet Casey Biesenthal
Originally from Wamego, Kansas, Biesenthal is a graduate of Kansas State University with degrees in Finance and Agricultural Business. She brings 18 years of banking experience to Ag Partners, specializing in agricultural and real estate lending.
In addition to her banking career, Biesenthal has spent the past five years helping build a small-business trucking company specializing in hauling aggregate materials throughout the Flint Hills region. Those experiences have strengthened her understanding of agriculture, business financing and the relationships that help rural businesses succeed.
Biesenthal has two children, Easton, 15, and Tynlee, 11, and enjoys attending their activities and spending time together on the farm.
During her first weeks with Ag Partners, Biesenthal will spend time learning about our people, processes, products and customers before beginning to work more closely with our sales teams and customers throughout the trade territory.
Ward will assist with the transition to help ensure continuity for customers and continued success of the OnePay program.
Until Biesenthal assumes responsibility for OnePay, customers with questions about input financing should continue working with their Agronomy Account Manager or Certified Energy Specialist (CES).
Ag Partners thanks Jim Ward for his nearly three decades of service, leadership and commitment to our cooperative, employees and member-owners. We look forward to building upon the strong foundation he helped create as Biesenthal joins the team and leads OnePay into its next chapter.
Ward began his cooperative career in spring of 1997, and over nearly three decades, has served our customers and member-owners in numerous roles across the organization. Throughout his career, he has led the IT, Energy and Input Financing departments, in addition to selling and overseeing crop insurance. Ward's willingness to take on a wide range of responsibilities has made him an important part of the cooperative's growth and evolution.
Among his many contributions is the development and growth of OnePay, Ag Partners' input financing program. Under Ward's leadership, OnePay has grown substantially and become a valuable financing resource for Ag Partners' member-owners and customers.
Ward currently plans to retire on October 30, 2026, but will continue supporting Ag Partners and assisting with the transition to help ensure continued success of the OnePay program.
“We are incredibly grateful to Jim for the many ways he has served Ag Partners, our employees and our customers throughout his career,” said Brice Elnicki, Chief Revenue Officer of Ag Partners. “His willingness to take on different responsibilities and lead across several areas of our business has made a lasting impact. The growth of OnePay is a great example of that work, and we appreciate his commitment to making this transition a successful one.”
As Ward prepares for retirement, Ag Partners is also looking ahead to the next phase of its input financing program. With the cooperative continuing to grow and the needs of farm operations changing, Ag Partners is making OnePay a greater area of focus within the organization.
Casey Biesenthal will join the team in early November and will focus solely on input financing, working directly with customers and alongside Ag Partners' sales teams to take a more proactive approach to OnePay.
Building on the options already available through OnePay, the goal will be to help customers better understand the programs available to them and identify financing options that align with the products and services they purchase from Ag Partners. The increased focus is intended to make the financing process easier for customers while giving Ag Partners' sales team another resource to help customers plan purchases around the needs of their operations.
“Input financing can be an incredibly valuable tool for our member-owners and customers, especially as the needs and economics of their operations continue to change,” Elnicki said. “We see an opportunity to be more proactive about helping customers understand their options and connect them with programs that fit their operation. Bringing Casey on in a role dedicated to this work allows us to put additional resources behind OnePay and continue improving the customer experience.”
Meet Casey Biesenthal
Originally from Wamego, Kansas, Biesenthal is a graduate of Kansas State University with degrees in Finance and Agricultural Business. She brings 18 years of banking experience to Ag Partners, specializing in agricultural and real estate lending.
In addition to her banking career, Biesenthal has spent the past five years helping build a small-business trucking company specializing in hauling aggregate materials throughout the Flint Hills region. Those experiences have strengthened her understanding of agriculture, business financing and the relationships that help rural businesses succeed.
Biesenthal has two children, Easton, 15, and Tynlee, 11, and enjoys attending their activities and spending time together on the farm.
During her first weeks with Ag Partners, Biesenthal will spend time learning about our people, processes, products and customers before beginning to work more closely with our sales teams and customers throughout the trade territory.
Ward will assist with the transition to help ensure continuity for customers and continued success of the OnePay program.
Until Biesenthal assumes responsibility for OnePay, customers with questions about input financing should continue working with their Agronomy Account Manager or Certified Energy Specialist (CES).
Ag Partners thanks Jim Ward for his nearly three decades of service, leadership and commitment to our cooperative, employees and member-owners. We look forward to building upon the strong foundation he helped create as Biesenthal joins the team and leads OnePay into its next chapter.