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

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

"It's been a terrific career," said Joyner, who has been an agricultural lender 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.

Joyner guided the farmer-owned cooperative, 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, a Farm Credit official has said.

The Rev. Ron Churchill, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Plant City, where the breakfast was held, praised "Richard's service to the community" in an opening prayer.

Joyner began his Farm Credit career in 1973, when he became assistant vice president of the Federal Land Bank Association of Tampa, which merged with Farm Credit. Joyner also served as president and CEO of Farm Credit of Southwest Florida from 1990 to 1997.

His dedication has been "beyond anything I could imagine," Farm Credit of Central Florida chairman Al Bellotto said. Bellotto added that Reginald T. Holt, who is being promoted to take Joyner's place, has big shoes to fill.

Bellotto called Joyner and his wife, Yolanda, to the stage near the end of the March 3 program to a rousing ovation.

"You all made it worthwhile, and God bless you," Joyner, a Plant City resident, told the crowd.

Andy Lowery, chief executive officer of AgFirst Farm Credit in Columbia, S.C., said Joyner deserves a lot of the credit for the financial health of the Farm Credit of Central Florida.

"We hate to see him retire, but he has done a fantastic job," Lowery said.

The Farm Credit breakfasts, founded more than 30 years ago, are invitation-only events that attract politicians, farmers, FFA students and teachers, and others. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson usually gives the keynote address.

Farm Credit of Central Florida serves 13 counties: Hillsborough, Polk, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Sumter, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Brevard, Osceola and Lake.

The association is a member of the nationwide Farm Credit System and serves about 1,400 members-borrowers. Farm Credit makes loans for agricultural purposes and residential loans for rural residences. Farm Credit also provides crop and credit life insurance.

Reporter Dave Nicholson can be reached at (813) 865-4432 or dnicholson@tampatrib.com.