Meet Our Team
Trusted Advisors. Proven Experience. Personalized Strategies.
At Midwest Market Solutions, our brokers combine decades of experience in commodity markets, agriculture, and financial services. Each advisor brings practical knowledge and market insight to help producers and investors make sound decisions, manage price risk, and achieve long-term success. We’re proud to serve producers and investors across the Midwest with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
List of Services
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Brian HoopsList Item 1
President and Senior Market Analyst
Springfield, Missouri
bhoops@midwestmarketsolutions.com
417-501-5132
Brian Hoops leads Midwest Market Solutions with more than 25 years of experience in agriculture and commodity trading. He began his career in 1994 as a farm manager and agricultural loan officer before founding Midwest Market Solutions in 2002.
Under Brian’s leadership, the firm has grown into one of the nation’s most recognized marketing advisory and brokerage companies, serving clients nationwide with personalized strategies and research-based guidance.
Brian publishes the Market Insider Daily and Weekly Newsletters and hosts Market Insider TV twice daily. His insights are featured on RFD-TV, Schwab Network, WHO Big Show, Ag News 890, Red River Farm Network, SiriusXM, and more. He has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones Newswires for his market expertise.
A graduate of Northwestern College, Brian began his professional career in banking, serving as Vice President of a northwest Iowa bank. Raised on a grain farm in northwest Iowa, he combines firsthand agricultural experience with analytical precision to help clients stay ahead of market trends.
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Jeff SimonsenList Item 2
Broker and Market Analyst
Yankton, South Dakota
jasimons@midwestmarketsolutions.com
605-260-3062
Jeff Simonsen is a broker and market analyst at Midwest Market Solutions, where he provides clients with clear, data-driven marketing strategies and trade execution. A native of Yankton, South Dakota, Jeff earned his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of South Dakota in 2002 after completing studies at the Beacom School of Business.
He has built long-standing relationships with producers and investors throughout the region, helping them understand market opportunities, manage risk, and make timely marketing decisions. Jeff and his wife live in Yankton with their two children.
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Doug ContiList Item 3
Commodity Broker & Market Analyst
Yankton, South Dakota
dougtconti@midwestmarketsolutions.com
605-260-3063
Doug Conti is a licensed commodity broker and market analyst who joined Midwest Market Solutions with extensive experience in livestock and grain marketing. A licensed broker since 1995, Doug previously worked as a hog buyer, where he gained valuable insight into the livestock sector.
He now specializes in developing customized ag marketing and hedging plans for farmers, focusing on cattle and hog markets. Doug’s hands-on approach and deep understanding of production agriculture make him a trusted resource for producers navigating today’s fast-moving markets.
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Howard KatholList Item 4
Commodity Broker
Yankton, South Dakota
hkathol@midwestmarketsolutions.com
605-260-3064
Howard Kathol brings more than 30 years of hands-on farming experience and a strong foundation in agricultural marketing to his role as a Commodity Broker with Midwest Market Solutions. A lifelong resident of Yankton, South Dakota, Howard graduated from Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon, Iowa, before beginning his farming career in 1990.
Today, Howard operates approximately 1,600 acres of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa in the Gayville area. His deep understanding of production agriculture allows him to work closely with producers, helping them make informed marketing decisions that protect profitability and manage risk in volatile markets.
List of Services
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Chris SwanstromList Item 3
Branch Manager & Commodity Broker
Yankton, South Dakota
cswanny@midwestmarketsolutions.com
605-260-3061
Chris Swanstrom is the licensed Branch Manager and a Commodity Broker at Midwest Market Solutions. Since joining the firm in 2005, Chris has helped producers and traders make better marketing decisions by combining technical analysis with practical risk management.
He specializes in identifying opportunities through futures, options, and spread trading, always with a focus on protecting client profitability. Chris is passionate about helping farm operations and individual investors achieve measurable results through disciplined marketing strategies.
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Jody MillerList Item 4
Commodity Broker – Northern Ag Inc. Branch Office
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
jody@midwestmarketsolutions.com
218-681-1431
Jody has been working in the agricultural marketing field since 2000 with her main concentration being hedge risk management for ag producers. She enjoys working directly with producers in helping them come up with hedge marketing strategies that best fit their farming operation. This includes working with a combination of cash sale recommendations and futures/options. Jody is a Commodity Broker for Midwest Market Solutions, operating a Branch Office in Thief River Falls, MN.
Jody also helps farmers manage their hedge risk by properly tying their crop insurance programs with their market decisions to effectively reduce the amount of exposure a producer has in today’s volatile marketplace. In 2003, Jody entered the crop insurance industry after the Multi-Peril Crop Insurance policies began to incorporate the revenue piece into the MPCI policies. This development brought about the direct correlation between how a farmer’s crop insurance decisions directly affect their marketing decisions. Jody’s love for the ag industry keeps her motivated to continue to help producers limit their risks during these volatile times.
She hails from Warsaw, North Dakota where she was raised on a wheat, soybean and dry bean farm. Jody’s formal schooling includes a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Agricultural Economics with an emphasis in Commodity Marketing from North Dakota State University. She holds a Series 3 and Series 30 license, along with a Crop Insurance Agent license in MN and ND. She now resides near Goodridge, MN where she and her husband Aaron farm – raising wheat, soybeans, and corn. They have been blessed with three sons – Abe, Henry and Peter and a daughter – Clara.
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Tim Flaherty
Principal – Poky Trading (Branch Office)
Pocahontas, Iowa
tim@midwestmarketsolutions.com
712-335-3131
Tim Flaherty serves as Principal of Poky Trading, a branch office of Midwest Market Solutions located in Pocahontas, Iowa. Established in 1985, Poky Trading provides full-service brokerage and advisory support for producers across northwest Iowa.
Tim has dedicated his career to helping clients build successful, long-term marketing strategies rooted in practical experience and consistent performance. His office is supported by Teri Stover, Administrative Assistant, who helps ensure every client receives attentive, responsive service.
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Cole Whittman
Commodity Broker – Northern Ag Inc. Branch Office
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Cole@midwestmarketsolutions.com
218-681-1431
Cole’s passion for agriculture began at an early age and led him to farm land that has been in his family for generations. With experience spanning agronomy, production agriculture, and grain merchandising, along with a business degree, Cole understands the challenges farmers face and how to protect their investments.
As a Market Analyst and Crop Insurance Specialist with Northern Ag, Cole holds a Series 3 license as a Commodity Broker and a Crop Insurance Agent license in Minnesota. He works closely with producers to align crop insurance with futures and options strategies to help manage risk.
Raised in rural Warren, Minnesota, Cole remains active in his community and continues to serve with the local fire department. He and his wife, Kathy, live near Warren, where they farm, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time with their children, Ava and Owen.