SANTIAGO — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announces that a familiar face is returning to the organization, naming Miguel Galdos, as Regional Director of its South American region. This follows the announcement that after 41 years of dedicated service to the U.S. wheat industry, Regional Vice President Alvaro de la Fuente will retire October 2018. Galdos will begin June 1, 2018, providing an appropriate transition period. Previously, Galdos worked for USW as Marketing Specialist and Assistant Regional Director in the USW Santiago Office from 2001 to 2008.

“I am excited to be back working for U.S. Wheat Associates, after 10 additional years of experience serving the Latin American and Caribbean wheat milling industry,” said Galdos. “The USW Santiago Office will continue to do its best to serve U.S. wheat customers in South America and represent the interests of U.S. wheat growers in the region. We will put emphasis on technical service to demonstrate the concrete benefit of U.S. wheat – the most reliable source of wheat in the world.”

Most recently, Galdos worked for Engrain LLC, as Vice President for Latin American and the Caribbean. Engrain is a U.S. based company involved in the production and commercialization of enzyme technology and premixes for the milling and baking industry. Galdos earned a degree from the Universidad Mayor, College of Forestry and Agriculture Sciences, in Santiago, Chile, and has completed courses at the IGP Institute and American Institute of Baking (AIB).

In his role at USW, Galdos will be responsible for leading market development programs conducted in the USW South American region to develop, serve and expand markets for U.S. wheat exports. He will also lead the regional office’s administrative and operational management.

“I am looking forward to welcoming Miguel back to U.S. Wheat Associates and working with him to continue to drive market efforts in our South American region,” said USW Vice President of Overseas Operations Mark Fowler. “His skill set and combined background in marketing, flour functionality and product development, will enhance USW’s ability to connect with U.S. wheat customers in the region and provide essential trade and technical service.”

USW’s mission is to develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance wheat’s profitability for U.S. wheat producers and its value for their customers in more than 100 countries. Its activities are made possible through producer checkoff dollars managed by 17 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Miguel Galdos

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

ARLINGTON, Virginia — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), the industry’s export market development organization, promotes three associates to Vice President. Ben Conner is named Vice President of Policy, Joe Sowers is promoted to Regional Vice President for Philippines and Korea, and Jeff Coey becomes Regional Vice President for China and Taiwan. In addition, Matt Weimar, Regional Vice President for South Asia, adds responsibilities as Senior Advisor across all Asian countries.

“The importance of trade policy issues related to U.S. wheat export opportunities continues to grow and Ben Conner has stepped up quickly to senior level work in his role as Director of Policy,” said USW President Vince Peterson.

Based in Arlington, Va., Conner directs USW efforts to work collaboratively with wheat farmers and customers around the world to create a fair and competitive trade environment for U.S. wheat. He joined USW in October 2014 as Assistant Director of Policy and was named Director of Policy in 2016. Before joining USW, he worked in agriculture and trade policy as a legislative assistant to former U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns. Conner also served as a special assistant at the U.S. Department of Energy following graduation from Miami University with a bachelor’s degree in international studies. His undergraduate experience included academic work in management and Middle East and Islamic Studies at American University in Cairo, Egypt. Conner went on to earn a master’s degree in International Commerce and Policy at George Mason University and a joint MS-MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management from Purdue and Indiana Universities.

“With promotions for Joe Sowers and Jeff Coey, we are recognizing their contributions and growth in their export market development roles,” said USW Vice President for Overseas Operations Mark Fowler. “The changes in responsibility will also help make regional activities even more effective and efficient.”

Sowers is based in Manila, Philippines, and will manage staff and export market development activities originating there and in Seoul, South Korea. He joined USW in 2005 as a market analyst in Washington, D.C., and earned a promotion to senior market analyst before moving to the USW regional office in Mexico City as assistant regional director for Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. In 2011, Sowers was transferred to Manila as assistant regional director for South Asia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. From 2000 to 2004 Sowers analyzed global grain and oilseed markets with the economic consulting firm, Global Insight, stationed in Philadelphia and Barcelona, Spain.

Coey is based in Hong Kong and will manage staff and export market development activities originating in offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei. He joined USW in 2015 with more than 25 years of marketing and trade facilitation experience in East Asia, including cotton merchandising in Hong Kong and Beijing, China, and as a lecturer for the master’s degree program at the Hong Kong Baptist University’s School of Communication. Fluent in Mandarin, Coey studied Chinese language and literature at Middlebury College and National Taiwan University. He holds bachelor’s degrees in East Asian Studies and Chinese from the University of Kansas, as well as a master of business administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in international business and marketing.

Weimar started with USW as country director in the Beijing office in 1987 and was assigned as regional director in 1993 in the Hong Kong office where he served for many years before being named Regional Vice President for South Asia and moving to Singapore in 2015. Weimar hails from a wheat and cattle ranch near Arlington, Ore. In addition to farm management, his work experience includes marketing livestock feeds and supplements for Loomix, Inc., and value-added product promotion in Asian markets for the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Weimar received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and resource economics from Oregon State University in 1982, graduating with high honors after being named both outstanding undergraduate and senior in OSU’s College of Agriculture.

USW works in more than 100 countries with a mission to “develop, maintain and expand international markets to enhance wheat’s profitability for U.S. producers and its value for their customers.” USW activities are funded by producer checkoff dollars managed by 17 state wheat commissions and by USDA Foreign Agricultural Service cost-share programs. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org or contact your state wheat commission.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
USW prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USW at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S., 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, USW, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. USW is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

ARLINGTON, Virginia — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announces a change to its senior staff, naming Mark Fowler as the new Vice President of Overseas Operations, following the transition of Vince Peterson to President on July 1, 2017. In this role, Fowler will be responsible for providing program and personnel direction to USW’s 15 overseas offices, as well as technical and marketing guidance in support of USW’s trade servicing activities. USW is the industry’s export market development organization, representing the interests of U.S. wheat farmers in more than 100 countries.

“My first memories growing up in a farming family were riding with my grandfather to the grain elevator with a load of wheat,” said Fowler. “I am honored to be selected to serve U.S. wheat producers and support the mission of U.S. Wheat Associates.”

Fowler is no stranger to the international milling and wheat industries. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Milling Science and Management from Kansas State University (KSU), and later returned to complete a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics. His career began as a miller first for Cargill, Inc., and then Seaboard Corp. In those roles, Fowler ran flour mills, worked on projects in several developing countries, including Ecuador, Guyana and Haiti, and also worked as a technical director of the Africa Division within Seaboard’s Overseas Group in Durban, South Africa. Later, Fowler spent 12 years back at KSU as a milling specialist and associate director at the IGP Institute, in the university’s Grain Science and Industry department.

“USW has worked closely with Mark over the years in his various capacities in milling, education, training and customer consultation work. He clearly distinguished himself by the quality of his work as well as his energy and enthusiasm for the international milling industry,” said Peterson. “Mark is a longtime friend to our industry, but in recent months I have had the opportunity to get to know him on a deeper business level and to learn how well he is respected as a manager, executive and leader by the people that he has worked with.”

Over the past decade, Fowler has also been a technical milling consultant for USW, as well as the Northern Crops Institute (NCI), allowing him to become well acquainted with many USW staff and overseas customers.

“Throughout my career, I have experienced the global impact of the milling industry from several perspectives” said Fowler. “I am excited to engage with friends and colleagues in the industry, to advance the U.S. wheat export market development mission.”

Most recently, Fowler was the President and CEO of Farmer Direct Foods, Inc. a farmer-owned, flour milling company in New Cambria, KS. In this role, Fowler gained critical senior management and executive experience, which Peterson says demonstrates that Fowler has the leadership and capabilities to manage USW’s overseas operations.

“I am fully confident that Mark will bring skills, ability and experiences that will prove extremely valuable to U.S. Wheat Associates and U.S. wheat producers in the future,” said Peterson.

USW’s mission is to “develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and their customers.” Its activities are made possible by producer checkoff dollars managed by 18 state wheat commissions and through cost-share funding provided by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. For more information, visit www.uswheat.org or contact your state wheat commission.

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

USW is pleased to announce that Ben Conner has been promoted to Director of Policy to lead the USW policy team’s efforts and manage relations with wheat value chain organizations.

Current USW Vice President of Policy Dalton Henry will depart USW on Dec. 30, 2016, to take a position as Legislative Director for U.S. Congressman-Elect Roger Marshall. Henry will have the opportunity to work on policy affecting his home district in Kansas.

“We recognize that this is an opportunity Dalton should not pass up and, while we will miss him at USW, we congratulate him and thank him for his service to wheat farmers in Kansas and across the United States,” said USW President Alan Tracy. “Trade policy is a critical part of our mission to open new overseas markets and Ben is well prepared to take up to the challenge. With Policy Specialist Elizabeth Westendorf focusing on food aid, innovative breeding and production policies and other areas, our policy team will keep advancing our aggressive USW trade policy agenda.”

Conner joined USW in 2014 as Assistant Director of Policy at the organization’s Headquarters Office in Arlington, VA, after spending five years working in agriculture and trade policy in the office of U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns. He also has extensive academic experience in international affairs and agricultural economics. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/1mW1Hgq.

Ben Conner

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Nondiscrimination and Alternate Means of Communications
U.S. Wheat Associates prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact U.S. Wheat Associates at 202-463-0999 (TDD/TTY – 800-877-8339, or from outside the U.S.- 605-331-4923). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Vice President of Finance, U.S. Wheat Associates, 3103 10th Street, North, Arlington, VA 22201, or call 202-463-0999. U.S. Wheat Associates is an equal opportunity provider and employer.