Beth Ellikidis was chosen as the new vice president, agriculture and environment, at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Ellikidis most recently worked at Zoetis, where she led US public affairs for nearly six years. Previously, she led public policy for ethanol, energy and renewable products at the National Corn Growers Association and led legislative affairs and policy advocacy for the National Grain and Feed Association.
Beth Ellikidis, ORGANICMegane Rock was hired as the new vice president of sustainability and innovation and director of sustainability for CHS. Rock was previously vice president of corporate responsibility, sustainability and sustainable solutions at Bunge.Eric Dell was named the new President and CEO of the American Bakers Association. Dell joins the ABA from the National Automatic Merchandising Association, where he served as the organization’s executive vice president.
Chris Tutino joined Cibus as the new Senior Director of Communications. For the past eight years, he has worked at Syngenta as Senior Director of Communications.
Combest, Sell & Associates, an agricultural advocacy firm, has hired Holt Bivens and Piper Merrit as firm partners with Bivens located in Lubbock, Texas, and Merritt based in DC Bivens will focus more on membership and grassroots efforts and Merritt will focus more on government affairs.
Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee David ScottD-Ga., promoted several staff members. Caitlin Balagula serve as deputy clerk; she is currently staff assistant and legislative assistant. Ellis Collier, that Cis currently a member of the committee, will be a legislative analyst. Emilie Pliscott will now be the committee’s economist. She is currently a Policy Analyst for the Animal Husbandry and Foreign Agriculture Sub-Committee and the Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research Sub-Committee. She will continue her policy work with the two sub-committees. Madeleine ring is the new staff assistant. Ring joined the committee as an intern in August, and before that, she completed a government affairs internship at the USDA’s National Food and Agriculture Institute.
Dylan Bigg was promoted to Trade Policy Coordinator for the US Grains Council. He had been a receptionist and administrative assistant for the council and the National Corn Growers Association at the organizations’ co-located offices in Washington, DC.
The US Wheat Associates has introduced Dong Chan Bae as the new Country Director of USW’s office in Seoul, South Korea. Bae has spent the past 25 years working for Samyang Corp., where he was director of Samyang’s grain supply division.
Tim Hamilton announced that he will step down as CEO of Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast. His last day will be December 31. Hamilton began his career with Food Export-Midwest in 1991 and served as the organization’s senior executive for most of his 31-year tenure. He has become the CEO of Food Export-Northeast since forming the strategic alliance with Food Export-Midwest in 2000. The boards of both organizations began searching for a new executive, and Hamilton offered to help a smooth transition to 2023.
iowa farmer Dean Meyer was elected the new president of the US Meat Export Federation. Randy Spronk was chosen to serve as vice president. Spronk is a farmer from Minnesota and previously served as president of the National Pork Producers Council.
Interested in more coverage and information? Receive a free month of Agri Pulse!
American Agri-Women elected new national officers at its national convention in Bozeman, Montana. Arlene Kovash of Oregon Women for Agriculture is the new secretary and John Goslin of Kansas Agri-Women is the new vice president of education. Each woman will serve a two-year term.
Washington’s newest farmhand is Walker Cruceborn Thursday November 10 of proud parents Jamison and Elise Cruce. When they’re not busy admiring Walker, Jamison is the senior director of government relations for the USA Rice Federation and Elise is the executive director of leadership development at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Douglas Dean Sims, retired CEO of CoBank, died Oct. 24 at age 76. Sims launched his long career in the agricultural credit system in 1969, when he accepted a job as a business analyst at the St. Louis Bank for Cooperatives. Sims is widely credited with playing a vital role in passing legislation to save the farm credit system in the 19080s. In 1989, Sims was the COO of CoBank when he was named CEO in 1994.
For more news, visit www.agri-pulse.com.
