Craig Yunker ’72 is the owner and managing partner of CY Farms, LLC, in Elba, NY.  CY Farms is recognized as one of the largest, innovative, and progressive farm operations in New York State with approximately 7,000 acres under cultivation.  Today, the business includes large acreage of processing and fresh vegetables, a turf farm, a heifer-rearing facility, and a custom vegetable harvesting business.  CY Farms operations are located in several western New York State counties. 

Under his leadership, CY Farms has seized upon opportunities in production agriculture and dealt with the setbacks that usually accompany such entrepreneurial ventures.  One of Yunker’s greatest attributes is his skill in managing people.  CY Farms has hired and developed an outstanding, very diverse team.  The belief that people are the most important asset of the business is apparent in the mission statement, the website, the operation and success of CY Farms.  Yunker has been referred to as the best human resource manager in Northeast agriculture. 

In his continuing search for knowledge, Yunker attended the Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP) at Texas A&M University.  This program attracts many outstanding managers of agricultural business from every corner of the U.S.  After completing the program, Yunker became the President of the alumni group, AAPEX:  The Association of Agricultural Production Executives.   In early 2004, and again in 2005, he and another alumnus of the program, traveled to South America to better understand agricultural issues and opportunities from a global perspective. 

Yunker is a member of the University Board of Trustees and served as Co-Chair of Committee on Land Grant and Statutory Affairs and a member of the Executive Committee.  He is an Ex Officio member of the Dean’s ALS Advisory Council, having served as Chairman from 1997-1999; member of the Cornell Alumni Association of Greater Rochester and Cornell Club of Genesee-Orleans.  The Genesee-Orleans Club awarded his service with their Spirit of Cornell Award in 2000.   Yunker has frequently lectured both on-campus and off-campus on the agricultural industry at Empire Farm Days, 2003; Celebration of Cornell’s Undergraduate Business Program, 2002; New York State Agri-Business Association, 2001; 2000 Agri-Marketing Conference and Trade Show; The National Council for Farmer Cooperative’s director’s Leadership Forum, 1999. 

Yunker’s leadership aside from Cornell includes:  Director, Tompkins Trustco, Inc., Ithaca, NY and Director, Bank of Castile, Batavia, NY.   Formerly he served as Chairman, Genesee County Legislature, Batavia, NY, Vice-Chairman, New York State Soil & Water Conservation Committee and Chair of the Small Business Advisory Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.  He has also served as Trustee of Genesee Community College, Batavia, NY, Trustee of the United Memorial Medical Center, Batavia, NY and on the boards of the Genesee/Leroy United Way Campaign; Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, Rochester, NY; and Genesee County Mental Health Board, Batavia, NY. 

In addition to the Spirit of Cornell Award, Yunker has received the Hugh E. Cumming Cooperator of the Year Award in 2001 from Agrilink Foods; Genesee County Agricultural Business of the Year Award in 2000 from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.  He has also received the Empire State Agricultural Human Resource Award from the New York State Department of Labor in 1996 and Outstanding Young Farmer (National Winner) from the U.S. Jaycees in 1986. 

Yunker and his wife, Kimberly, live in Elba, NY and have three children, all graduates of CALS:  Cyrus ’01, Christian ‘02, and Katherine ‘05.  His father is also a CALS alumnus, Carl Yunker ’44.