High West Energy CFO Selected for Prestigious Leadership Program

Lindsay Forepaugh, the Chief Financial Officer of High West Energy, recently completed her first week as part of the prestigious Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education/Action Development) program.

Nebraska LEAD is the state’s premier agricultural leadership development program. It attracts a large number of accomplished applicants every year, and from that talent pool, no more than 30 women and men are chosen to participate.

“I am honored to be selected as one of the Nebraska LEAD fellows,” said Forepaugh, who completed her first session of the program on Sept. 20 at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. “Over the next two years, this program will provide me with countless valuable opportunities to gain experience and perspectives from agriculturalists in Nebraska, the U.S., and those I encounter during our international seminar.”

“The Nebraska LEAD Program was formed because of the need to develop the next generation of leaders for Nebraska agriculture and beyond,” said program director Terry Hejny. “We assist our participants in discovering what they are truly passionate about and then fast-track them into positions of leadership.”

Forepaugh holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Economics, and a Masters in Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Finance. After spending the first chapter of her career distinguishing herself in the oil and gas industry, she joined High West Energy as the CFO about five years ago.

Based on Nebraska LEAD’s track record, this program could serve as a springboard to an even brighter future for Forepaugh.

“Many of our alums go on to serve as state senators, on state commodity check-off boards, state grower association boards and become involved in county government,” said Hejny. “The strength of our program is that our graduates go back to their communities – rural or urban, big or small – and make a difference. They get involved!”

Forepaugh, a resident of Kimball, Nebraska, is no stranger to getting involved. She is already an active and dedicated member of her community. Currently she serves as:

• The Secretary and Treasurer for the Kiwanis Club of Kimball – Banner Counties
• A board member of the Kimball County Visitors Committee
• President of the Friends of the Kimball Library Board
• A member of the National Bison Association and the Rocky Mountain Bison Association.

Forepaugh and the rest of the LEAD Fellows will participate in 12 monthly three-day seminars across Nebraska, a 10-day national study/travel seminar, and a two-week international study/travel seminar. The goal of the program is to develop problem solvers, decision makers and spokespersons for agriculture and Nebraska.

“My goal is to take my experiences over the next two years and hopefully help the next generation of leaders by sharing those experiences with the communities where I live and work,” said Forepaugh.