A roundup of new employees and appointments in the agribusiness industry.

August 27, 2020

10 Min Read
Names in the News: September 2020
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To submit an announcement for Names in the News, please email it to Kristin Bakker at [email protected].

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OBITUARYDr. Gary Layton Allee, 76, passed away on Sept. 7, 2020, from pancreatic cancer. Allee was a leading swine nutritionist. He earned his bachelor and master's degrees in animal sciences from the University of Missouri and a Ph.D. in animal sciences from the University of Illinois. After nearly two decades at Kansas State University, he moved to lead the animal sciences department at the University of Missouri in 1987. Allee was recognized nationally and internationally for his pioneering contributions to swine nutrition and swine production. He authored more than 100 refereed journal articles and more than 350 abstracts and technical papers. He served as vice president, president and director of the Midwest Section of the American Society of Animal Sciences, which hosts an annual symposium in his honor, and on the board of directors of Omega Protein Corp. for nearly two decades.

 

ABS GLOBAL, DeForest, Wis. — Jared Wareham will join the company as North America NuEra business development manager, effective Sept. 21. Wareham will grow the NuEra Genetics program for commercial beef customers, focusing on sales of NuEra genetics and expanding the existing NuEra Connect Program to support calf marketing opportunities for customers. He was previously with Top Dollar Angus.

 

AB VISTA, Marlborough, U.K. — Juan Ignacio Fernandez has been appointed managing director. Fernandez was most recently sales director for the EMEA region.

 

AC BLUEBONNET LP, Omaha, Neb. — Zeb Prawl has joined the company as general manager of the AC Nutrition feed business. Prawl will provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the brand.

 

AMLAN INTERNATIONAL, Chicago, Ill. — Fred H. Kao has been named vice president of global sales. Kao was previously with Cobb-Vantress Inc.

 

ARM & HAMMER ANIMAL & FOOD PRODUCTION, Princeton, N.J. — Yongze Jie has joined the company as monogastric technical services manager in China. Jie will provide technical support and service for new and existing poultry and swine customers throughout the country. He was previously with Evonik (China) Co. Ltd.

Brian Simas has joined the company as ruminant account manager for California and Arizona. Simas will be responsible for field sales of products in the dairy and beef product portfolio as well as for managing relationships with large producers and their network of influencers. He was previously with James J. Stevenson.

 

BARRY-WEHMILLER COMPANIES INC., St. Louis, Mo. — Kyle Chapman has been promoted to president. Chapman was most recently interim chief financial officer.

Michael Monarchi has joined the company as chief financial officer. Monarchi will help connect key strategic goals to financial targets. He was previously with Eaton.

 

BW FORSYTH PARTNERS, St. Louis, Mo. — Ryan Gable has been promoted to managing partner. Gable most recently co-led the organization.

 

THE DAIRY ALLIANCE, Atlanta, Ga. — Geri Berdak has been named chief executive officer.

 

ESSENTIAL AG SOLUTIONS, Sioux Falls, S.D. — Brad Carson has joined the company as key account manager. Carson will develop and service accounts on a national level to grow the business.

 

FASS, Champaign, Ill. — Melissa Kunze has joined the association as executive assistant and event planner. Kunze will be responsible for committee organization, event planning, budget preparation, travel planning and expense management and volunteer coordination and communication.

 

FMC CORP., Philadelphia, Pa. — Eric Kalasz has joined the company as U.S. marketing director. Kalasz will be responsible for developing strategies to leverage customer intelligence and market insights to create and improve the value proposition for target segments and customers. He also will lead product strategy, product planning and pricing stewardship. He was previously with BASF Corp.

 

HAMLET PROTEIN, Findlay, Ohio — Kyle Brown has joined the company as poultry nutritionist. Brown will provide technical and nutritional consulting to business partners across the region, oversee poultry research studies in North and Central America and work with the global technical team.

 

HELIAE AGRICULTURE, Gilbert, Ariz. — Jon Collison has joined the company as regional sales manager for California and Arizona. Collison will work with distributors and retail partners in California and Arizona to strategically implement the PhycoTerra product line into their grower applications.

 

HOLSTEIN ASSN. USA, Brattleboro, Vt. — Dr. Jeffrey Bewley has joined the association as dairy analytics and innovation scientist. Bewley will serve as a scientific and educational lead for research and development projects focused on technology and analytics innovations. He was previously with Western Kentucky University.

 

IMMUCELL CORP., Portland, Maine — David "DJ" Dominguez has joined the company as sales and marketing regional manager: southern region. Dominguez will establish relationships with animal health distributors, veterinarians, calf raisers, dairy producers and cow/calf operations in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Hawaii.

 

LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION, Milwaukee, Wis. — Erin Carter has been promoted to senior brand communications lead — ruminant and equine feed additives. Carter will oversee all North American corporate communications and the portfolio of ruminant feed additives and will continue to lead the Lallemand Forward Marketing Communications internship program, agricultural agency and external contractor relationships. She was most recently marketing communication specialist for ruminant and equine feed additives.

Michayla "Mich" Davidson has joined the company as field support specialist for customers in the western U.S., focusing on the Pacific Northwest. Davidson will visit farms and conduct cow-side and forage audits to help producers in the region develop, benchmark and continue to improve productivity.

Dr. Gerardo Escamilla has joined the company as monogastric manager–Mexico and Central America. Escamilla will help producers in both regions improve their production potential.

Kevin Falk has joined the company as documentation and quality assurance coordinator. Falk will manage product and quality assurance documentation for all North and Central American feed additives and inoculants.

Dr. Kip Karges has been promoted to ruminant feed additives product manager. Karges will lead pricing and product positioning for the ruminant feed additives portfolio and guide and position brands such as LEVUCELL SC. He was most recently a member of the Technical Services — Ruminant team.

Lauren Kasten has been promoted to brand communications lead — forage additives. Kasten will work with the forage products manager to develop and implement the annual marketing budgets and communication strategy and manage timelines, decision points and stakeholder alignment for the forage inoculant portfolio. She also will continue to support the silage safety program, lead the Lallemand Forward scholarship committee and the biannual Silage for Beef Cattle Conference and support monogastric, aquaculture and pet marketing needs.

Paige Spowart has joined the company as field support specialist for customers in the western U.S., focusing on Texas. Spowart will visit farms and feedyards to provide support to nutritionists, producers and territory business managers in the region.

 

MERCK ANIMAL HEALTH, Madison, N.J. — Dr. Scott Stehlik has been appointed director of integrated swine and poultry for the U.S. Livestock Technical Services business unit. Stehlik will work with the sales leadership, marketing, research and development and global teams to guide the efforts of the swine and poultry technical services team and achieve the goals of the livestock division. He was previously with The Maschhoffs.

 

MICHAEL TORREY ASSOCIATES, Washington, D.C. — Brandon Barnett has joined the firm as policy coordinator. Barnett will provide policy, communications and administrative support for the lobbying team. He was previously with Cornerstone Government Affairs and StoneX.

 

MISSOURI CATTLEMEN'S ASSN., Columbia, Mo. — Macey Hurst will join the association as manager of strategic solutions, effective Oct. 5. Hurst will be responsible for non-dues revenue, serving the Missouri Beef Cattleman publication and managing overall association communications. She was previously with the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

 

NUTRIQUEST, Mason City, Iowa — Katie Weiss has joined the NutriQuest Business Solutions team as consulting chief financial officer. Weiss will be responsible for working to create and assist with managing short- and long-term financials for various clients. She was previously with Moss Adams.

Casey Westphalen will rejoin the NutriQuest Business Solutions team as director of business services. Westphalen will serve current customers and expand reach and services provided. She was previously with Brenneman Pork.

 

PATHWAY INTERMEDIATES LTD., Shrewsbury, U.K. — Dr. Peter Windhausen has joined the company as marketing and sales director. Windhausen will bring animal health and nutrition solutions to global partners and clients. He was previously with DSM Nutritional Products.

 

PHIBRO ANIMAL HEALTH CORP., Teaneck, N.J. — Damian Finio has been named chief financial officer, effective Nov. 15. Finio was previously with Teligent Inc.

Richard Johnson will retire as chief financial officer, effective Nov. 15, 2020.

 

PHILEO BY LESAFFRE, Milwaukee, Wis. — Anna Crockett has joined the company as regional sales manager for poultry and swine. Crockett will oversee poultry and swine accounts in the Midwest and eastern regions of the U.S. She was previously with Biomin.

George Perigo has joined the company as regional sales manager for the poultry team. Perigo will oversee poultry accounts for the southeastern U.S. He was previously with Zoetis.

Nathan Pokowski has joined the company as dairy regional sales manager. Pokowski will oversee dairy accounts in the Midwest region of the U.S. He was previously with Kemin.

 

PILGRIM'S PRIDE CORP., Greeley, Colo. — Fabio Sandri has been appointed president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Sandri was most recently serving as interim president and CEO.

 

THE PLAZA GROUP, Houston, Texas — Jenna Engel has joined the company as global sales and marketing manager, agricultural products, within the nitrogen, phosphate, potassium and acids business. Engel will be responsible for managing the purchasing, selling and marketing of various agricultural products, with a focus on the feed ingredient business. She was previously with Yara International.

 

ROYAL PAS REFORM, Zeddam, Netherlands — Harm Langen will step down as chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1, 2020.

 

TYSON FOODS, Springdale, Ark. — Donnie King has been named president of the poultry business. King will lead the chicken unit to accelerate strategic growth plans as well as guide and mentor members of the leadership team. He was most recently group president and chief administration officer.

Chad Martin has been named chief operating officer of poultry. Martin most recently led the poultry and beef businesses and has also served in food safety and quality assurance roles.

 

VERAMARIS, Delft, Netherlands — Jeff Alix has been appointed global head of business development for companion animals. Alix will manage the launch of Veramaris Pets to the pet food industry. He was previously with DSM.

 

VITA PLUS, Madison, Wis. — Kelly Flack has been named livestock specialist in Lanark, Ill. Flack will work with dairy, beef and youngstock producers in the Lanark area to provide feed, nutrition and management expertise. She also will provide on-farm technical support and research and technologies.

Kyle McLain has joined the company as dairy specialist in northern Wisconsin. McLain will utilize ration formulation software to provide rations and solutions that help dairy producers reach their production goals and will provide on-farm technical support for the northern Wisconsin dairy team.

 

ZINPRO CORP., Eden Prairie, Minn. — Greg Heeney has joined the company as country manager—Australia. Heeney will lead the strategic sales and operational direction for the country, providing and customizing products and services to increase animal wellness and to improve efficiencies and profitability for customers.

Megan Lehman has joined the company as global marketing manager and will serve on the global advisory teams for swine and aquaculture. Lehman will help drive marketing programs specific to global initiatives.

Rachel Meyer has joined the company as regional marketing manager–North America and will serve on the global advisory team for companion animals. Meyer will help drive marketing programs specific to the North American market.

Dr. Miquel Morales has joined the company as dairy technical service specialist, western district. Morales will assist dairy customers in California and the surrounding western states to improve on-farm management for increased animal wellness, production and profitability.

Dr. Alexander Radionov has joined the company as dairy account manager in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Radionov will provide customers with commercial and technical support for the company's animal nutrition products, hoof health management programs and species-specific business solutions.

Maya Rumyantseva has joined the company as swine account manager in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Rumyantseva will provide customers with commercial and technical support for the company's animal nutrition products, hoof health management programs and species-specific business solutions.

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