WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. —  With 700 members in attendance, the National Grain and Feed Association’s (NGFA) industry officers were elected during its annual business meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.   

The industry officers were re-elected to a second, one-year term. Re-elected as NGFA chairman was John Heck, senior vice-president, Scoular, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. Re-elected as NGFA first vice-chairman was Eric Wilkey, president, Arizona Grain Inc., Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S., while David Baudler, managing director, grain, Cargill Agricultural Supply Chain North America, Cargill, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., was re-elected as second vice-chairman. 

NGFA chairman John Heck
John Heck, NGFA chairman.

Heck has been with Scoular since 1981, when he joined the company as a grain merchandiser. In 1984, he became operations manager of the company's Nebraska region, and a year later was named vice-president responsible for management and operation of its Eastern region. He was promoted to his current position in 1992. He is a past chairman of the Agriculture Council of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, served as board chairman for Habitat for Humanity Omaha and is a past trustee of the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in economics.

Wilkey joined Arizona Grain in 1991 after beginning his career six years earlier with the Continental Grain Co. From 1996-2006, he served as the company's vice-president and director of merchandising and risk management prior to becoming the firm's top officer in 2006. In addition, he has been a member of the Arizona Grain Research and Promotion Council since 2004, and is a past chair of that organization. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois.

Baudler is responsible for Cargill's domestic and export grain across the United States, Canada and Mexico. He previously served from 2011-16 as business unit leader and president of Cargill AgHorizons U.S., which was responsible for the company's farmer-facing grain and crop-input business. He served in numerous positions in the U.S. grain business with Cargill earlier in his career, including the company's World Trading Unit in Geneva, Switzerland; the Dressings, Sauces and Oils Refining Group within the Food Ingredients Platform; and general manager of the Softseeds and Biodiesel Segment of the company's Grain and Oilseeds North America Division. He received his undergraduate degree in agricultural business from Iowa State University.

NGFA members elected the following members to serve three-year terms on the organization's board of directors:

  • Matt Ashton, senior vice-president, grain, Central Valley Ag Cooperative, York, Nebraska, U.S.
  • Augusto Basanini, president and chief executive officer, United Grain Corp., Vancouver, Washington, U.S.
  • Chris Boerm, president, grain transportation, Archer Daniels Midland Inc., Decatur, Illinois, U.S.
  • Jim Byrum, president and secretary/treasurer, Michigan Agri-Business Association
  • Matt Gibson, vice president and general manager, Grain Division, Bunge North America Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
  • Phil Greene, vice-president, Foster Commodities and Foster Farms, Fresno, California, U.S.
  • Brian Gordon, general manager, Ritzville Warehouse Co., Ritzville, Washington, U.S.
  • Jeff Hainline, Board chairman and risk management adviser, Advance Trading Co., Bloomington, Illinois, U.S.
  • Jarvis Haugeberg, executive vice -resident, Form A Feed, Stewart, Minnesota, U.S.
  • Rex Holstein, vice-president, commodity purchasing, Tyson Foods, Springdale, Arkansas, U.S. 
  • Jerald Kemmerer, chief executive officer and general manager, Pride Ag Resources, Dodge City, Kansas, U.S.
  • Diana Klemme, vice-president, Grain Service Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. 
  • Alan Koenig, chief supply chain officer, Grain Craft, Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. 
  • Lynn Krueger, senior manager, commodity purchasing, Ingredion Inc., Westchester, Illinois, U.S. 
  • Bob Knief, president, Bartlett Grain Co. L.P., Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. 
  • Steve Nail, president and chief executive officer, Farmers Grain Terminal Inc., Greenville, Mississippi, U.S.
  • Chris Shafer, vice-president, agricultural products, Ag Processing Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
  • Bruce Sutherland, president, Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Lansing, Michigan, U.S. 
  • Jeff VanPavenage, president and chief executive officer, Columbia Grain Inc., Portland, Oregon, U.S.
  • Robert Zelenka, executive director, Minnesota Grain and Feed Association

    Subsequently, the NGFA board of directors elected the following of its members to serve on the NGFA Executive Committee:
  • Jim Banachowski, vice-president and general manager, The Andersons, Maumee, Ohio, U.S.
  • Chris Boerm, president, Global Transportation, Archer Daniels Midland, Decatur, Illinois, U.S.
  • Steve Campbell, executive vice-president and head of North American Grains, Louis Dreyfus Company, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. 
  • Tom Coyle, general manager, COFCO International, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. 
  • John Fletcher, general manager, Central Missouri AGRIService LLC, Marshall, Missouri, U.S. 
  • Roger Fray, chief commodity marketing officer, Landus Cooperative, Ralston, Iowa, U.S.
  • Matt Gibson, vice-president and general manager, Grain Division, Bunge North America, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
  • David Hoogmoed, executive vice president, Land O'Lakes Inc., Arden Hills, Minnesota, U.S.
  • Diana Klemme, vice-president, Grain Service Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
  • Alan Koenig, chief supply chain officer, Grain Craft, Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
  • Todd Lafferty, vice-president and general counsel, Wheeler Brothers Grain Co., Watonga, Oklahoma, U.S.
  • Dan Mack, vice-president, transportation, CHS Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
  • Ryan Pellett, president and chief executive officer, J.D. Heiskell & Co., Elkhorn, Nebraska, U.S.

    Also serving as members of the executive committee by virtue of their office are: 
  • NGFA Chairman: John Heck, senior vice-president, Scoular, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
  • NGFA first vice-chairman: Eric Wilkey, president, Arizona Grain Inc., Casa Grande, Arizona, U.S.
  • NGFA second vice-chairman:  David Baudler, managing director, grain; Cargill Agricultural Supply Chain North America, Cargill Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
  • Immediate past chairman: Gary Beachner, president and CEO, Beachner Grain Co., Parsons, Kansas, U.S., who was elected by the executive committee to serve as its chairman.
  • NGFA President:  Randy Gordon