SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, US — Brian Doyle, president of King Milling Co., has been elected chair of the North American Millers’ Association (NAMA) board of directors, succeeding outgoing chair D. Ford Mennel, president of Mennel Milling Co.

The board held its annual meeting and elected leadership during the 2022 NAMA Annual Meeting, which featured more than 100 milling industry leaders gathered for education and networking opportunities Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in Scottsdale, Arizona, US. 

“I am honored to be taking over the gavel from Ford Mennel to serve as NAMA chair,” Doyle said. “I am looking forward to what the upcoming year will bring for the organization. NAMA is well-positioned to continue to make a difference for the industry.”

Elected to serve on the NAMA Executive Committee were Eric Heismeyer, commercial vice president and North America Corn Milling value chain leader at Bunge North America; Mike Fassezke, president of Flour Milling Division at Star of the West Milling Co.; Terry Tyson, general manager of Grain Millers Canada; and Meredith Nelson, senior director, North American Field Sales and Foodservice Ingredients at General Mills. Tedd Kruse, president of ADM Milling and Baking Solutions was selected to serve as vice chair of NAMA.

The general session presentations during the conference included a look ahead at what to expect during the upcoming farm bill negotiations from agriculture policy veterans, including Chandler Goule, chief executive officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers, and Mike Seyfert, president and CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association. 

Hulya Dogan, PhD, interim department head of the Department of Grain Science and Industry at Kansas State University, and Kerry Wefald, senior director of development of the KSU Foundation, provided an update on Kansas State’s plans to partner with the industry to expand opportunities for the future milling workforce. Connecting research with consumer trends and navigating economic uncertainty were other key topics.

“This event re-affirms the important role that NAMA plays in uniting the industry,” said Jane DeMarchi, president of NAMA. “We are energized and ready to help our members navigate new challenges and opportunities in 2023 and beyond.”

During the 2022 Annual Meeting Dinner and Awards Ceremony sponsored by NAMA Associate Members, Doyle presented the 2022 Honorary Member Award to Mark Kolkhorst of ADM in recognition of his ongoing service to the milling industry. Kolkhorst is a former member of the NAMA Executive Committee and served as chair from 2016-2018.

NAMA’s Spring Conference — the organization’s largest annual education conference for wheat, corn and oat millers — will be held April 22-25, 2023, in Orlando, Florida, US.

NAMA represents the interests of the North American wheat, corn, oat and rye milling industry before the US Congress, federal agencies and international regulatory bodies. Member companies operate mills in 31 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, representing more than 90% of total industry production capacity.