In November, Amanda Cooper joined MFA Oil Company as vice president of human resources. Cooper is now responsible for leading the company’s human resources department and oversees employee relations, recruiting, employee development, leave management, training, compensation and benefits, and payroll. Cooper is working closely with Janice Serpico, chief human resources officer, to prepare for Serpico’s upcoming retirement on February 2, 2022.
“I’m excited to join a company with a solid human resources department already in place,” Cooper says. “That’s different from some of my past experiences. Janice has things in great shape, and I look forward to building on the foundation she has laid.”
Cooper brings more than 24 years of human resources knowledge to MFA Oil. She has experience working for agricultural cooperatives like MFA Incorporated and Farmland Industries and consulting for others.
“The co-ops I’ve worked for were focused on products like feed, seed and fertilizer,” Cooper says. “A lot of our farmer-members are the same customers I’m familiar with from prior positions, but the non-member business we have here at MFA Oil is new to me, and I’m excited to learn more about that aspect of the business.”
Cooper, who has a background in designing corporate training programs, is interested in studying the recruiting and training needs of the company’s non-member divisions. She has developed systemwide training programs for several businesses. She says culture will also be a priority for both her and the company.
“Culture is the soul of an organization,” Cooper says. “It reflects who we are and what we value, and we’re all a part of it. I look forward to working with managers and employees to help create a culture of success going forward.”
Before joining MFA Oil, Cooper served as vice president of corporate services for MFA Inc. Previously, she directed human resource departments for Prairieland Partners, Inc., ProValue Insurance, and KFSA Insurance.
Cooper grew up in Vandalia, Mo., and is a graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism.