ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S. – U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announced on March 12 the promotion of Osvaldo Seco to assistant regional director for South America. Seco joined USW in 2008 as a marketing specialist in Santiago, Chile.

“We are very pleased to recognize Osvaldo’s excellent work promoting U.S. wheat here in South America,” said USW Regional Vice-President Alvaro de la Fuente. “He has used his experience and enthusiasm to build important relationships with our customers that are paying off for U.S. wheat producers.”

In his new position, Seco will remain focused on market development in South America with additional management responsibilities.

South America is already a large market for U.S. wheat that is expected to grow with population and economic development. In marketing year 2010-11, South American countries imported 2.64 million tonnes of wheat from the U.S. The South American region imports primarily hard red winter wheat, but also purchases hard red spring, soft red winter and soft white wheat. USW helps build a preference for U.S. wheat through trade and technical service that helps customers better understand its variety, quality and value.

Seco has a degree in business administration and a specialty degree in marketing from the University Gabriela Mistral in Santiago. Before joining USW, Seco worked as a marketing specialist for Garden House Laboratories, a Chilean pharmaceutical firm focused on naturally derived consumer products. He also gained marketing and management experience working for AGUNSA, a large shipping and logistics firm; Empresas Fourcade, the largest construction firm in southern Chile and Forestal y Muebles Magasa, the largest furniture manufacturer in Chile.