Wally Darneille took over as President and CEO of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association in Lubbock in July of 2004.  He grew up in Houston, and then went to Dartmouth College, graduating cum laude in 1973.  From 1974 through 2004, he worked with Weil Brothers-Cotton, Inc., in Montgomery, Alabama, starting in the cotton sample room and ending up as Senior Vice-President.  During his years at Weil, he earned his MBA magna cum laude from Auburn University, and managed cotton merchandising operations around the world. 

He has served as President of the Texas Cotton Association, and was the first American elected to serve as President of the International Cotton Association in Liverpool, England.  In January of 2009, he will take over as President of Cotton Council International (CCI).  He served two terms on the board of directors of the American Cotton Shippers' Association, and is currently on the boards of the National Cotton Council, CCI, AMCOT, Telmark, the Southwest Council of Agribusiness, Denimatrix, and The Seam.  He joined the NCTO board in 2005.  In 2003, he was named the Outstanding Alumnus of Auburn University of Montgomery.

He and his wife Margy have been very active over the years in volunteer civic organizations, various community boards, and support of the arts.  They have four children ages 23 to 30, and are members of the Episcopal Church.