USGC expands global staff

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. – The U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC) is adding several new staff members in its Washington, D.C., U.S.-based office plus some of its overseas offices due to areas of growing demand.

Candice Wilson

The newest member of its Washington, D.C.-based staff is Candice Wilson. Wilson joins the USGC as a graduate fellow in economics and ethanol. In this role, she will work with Mike Dwyer, USGC chief economist, and other USGC staff on a variety of economic analysis projects ranging from ethanol research to analysis of global supply and demand for coarse grains and products.

“We are thrilled Candice is joining the council as a graduate fellow,” Dwyer said. “She has both the academic background and the real work experience in trade policy to tackle ethanol trade policy by working with council staff and our main ethanol partners.”

Prior to joining the council, Wilson completed both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics at Kansas State University. Additionally, she worked as an international intern with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Brussels, Belgium.

Her one-year appointment as graduate fellow in economics and ethanol at the council is funded with support from Kansas Corn.

Catalina Correa

Catalina Correa is the new regional marketing specialist for the Western Hemisphere, based in Medellin, Colombia. In this role, Correa provides additional depth and support to the council’s ongoing marketing programs in the region with a focus on Central America.

Prior to joining the council, she worked at Solla, one of Colombia’s leading grain importers, as the international procurement manager, where she was responsible for trade execution, ingredient procurement and international trade. She received a degree in international business from EAFIT University in Medellin.

“Catalina is a forward thinker and truly a leader among her peers,” said Marri Carrow Tejada, USGC regional director for the Western Hemisphere. “I have been impressed with her for many years and know her energy and experience will greatly contribute to our programs and our winning team.”

Mohamed Salah Bouthour

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Mohamed Salah Bouthour joined the USGC as the regional marketing specialist in the Tunis, Tunisia, office. In this role, he will support council activities in the changing markets of the Middle East and North Africa.

Bouthour previously worked for S.G.S. as a leader in inspection, analysis, control and certification as well as a business manager for agricultural and minerals commodities in Tunisia and Libya. He received a bachelor’s degree in information technology from the High Institute of Management in Tunis.

“I am pleased Bouthour is joining the council in the Tunis office,” said Ramy Hadj Taieb, USGC regional director for the Middle East and North Africa. “His knowledge of local grain suppliers and agribusiness exporters by inspecting their products and ensuring contractual specifications makes him a valuable addition to our team.”

Yantian Zeng

And on the other side of the globe, Yantian Zeng is the new program manager in the USGC’s office in Beijing, China.

In this role, Zeng will manage the council’s trade and policy programs in China and assist with government relations and ethanol programming.

“We all very much look forward to working with Yantian in Beijing,” said Bryan Lohmar, USGC director in China. “Her wide range of work and other experience will make a strong contribution to the Council’s efforts to address the multiple complex issues we face in China.”

Zeng previously worked with the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and in other marketing and teaching positions. She has fluency in English, French, Mandarin and Cantonese and received a master’s degree in international affairs from the University of la Rochelle, France, and a bachelor’s degree in English from the second Foreign Language Institute in Beijing.