PLANT CITY - Agriculture lender Richard W. Joyner was given a standing ovation this morning at his final Farm Credit Strawberry Salute Breakfast before his March 31 retirement.

  Richard W. Joyner

Joyner, president and chief executive officer of Farm Credit of Central Florida for 11 years, is retiring to focus on his family and his church.

"It's been a terrific career," said Joyner, who has been with the Farm Credit organization for more than 30 years.

The annual strawberry salute breakfast is one of the largest events at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Several officials showered Joyner with accolades for his leadership at the event.

Joyner helped shepherd the farmer-owned cooperative, which is the biggest agricultural lender in Florida, through many changes and expansions. During Joyner's tenure, the association's gross loan volume has almost doubled from $341 million to $647 million, Farm Credit officials have said.

His dedication has been "beyond anything I could imagine," Farm Credit of Central Florida chairman Al Bellotto said at this morning's meeting.