Welcome to DIS
Michael J. Doherty recently joined DIS in the new role of Consulting Business Development Associate. Mike will be responsible for developing relationships with current and prospective clients, proposal writing, closing contracts, post project follow-up, and monitoring Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
Mike served as Senior Economist and Policy Analyst at the Illinois Farm Bureau from 2004 to 2023. In addition, he also served as the Executive Director of the Illinois Wheat Association from 2018 to 2023.
In his previous roles, Mike was responsible for research and policy analysis of agricultural production, income, and marketing systems. He provided analysis of external research projects, government policies, proposed legislation, biofuels markets, and other factors affecting the profitability of agriculture. Mike has provided monthly economic outlooks on the RFD radio network, quarterly outlooks on the Illinois farm economy to the IAA board and quarterly outlooks on McLean County’s economy at Economic Development Council luncheons. He has been quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Crain’s Chicago Business and has been interviewed regularly on radio and television news programs for his insight on the Illinois agricultural economy.
Before joining IFB, Mike developed and led a statewide program of business planning, marketing, and financial analysis to value-added ag-business ventures, for USDA Rural Development in Illinois, Indiana, and the Carolinas. Prior to his experience with USDA-RD, he was a research associate in the Department of Economics at North Carolina State University and an educator for the North Carolina Extension Service.
Mike earned his B.S. in Economics at Illinois State University and his M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Clemson University in South Carolina. He has been an advisor and consultant to agriculture and rural development projects in Guatemala, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Palestine, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador. He also presented at agricultural outlook conferences in Brazil and Argentina. Mike was raised on a farm near Merna, Illinois, and currently resides in Normal, IL.
We are excited to have Mike be a part of the DIS team!
