Brian Antle
Brian Antle, fourth generation family member, has returned to Tanimura and Antle as the new executive vice president of sales. In 2017, Antle became the president of PlantTape, helping launch the new transplanting system across the U.S. Before that, he was the vice president of harvest operations at Tanimura and Antle.
Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. has brought on Denis Koh as the new chief financial officer. He brings more than 20 years of experience in sales and operations management, and previously held leadership positions at Underwriters Laboratories, Vestas, Aretae and FarEastone.
The Produce Marketing Association hired Iván Correa to be the country representative in Chile. He previously served as a sales manager at Mayr-Malnhof Packaging in Santiago, Chile.
The National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research has tapped Laura Wood Peterson to be the new executive director. She succeeds Tom Van Arsdall, who has retired after two decades at the helm. Peterson currently runs her own consulting firm, Laura Wood Peterson Consulting. Before that, she worked for Indigo Ag in its government affairs division.
Laura Wood Peterson
After 38 years with Bayer and the Monsanto Company, Brett Begemann has announced he will retire as chief operating officer for crop science. Rodrigo Santos has been tapped to succeed Begemann, effective June 8. Mauricio Rodrigues, currently head of finance for crop science, Latin America, will replace Santos as the new head of crop science's commercial operations for Latin America.
Jess McCarron left the Senate Ag Committee where she served as Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s, D-Mich., press secretary for the last four and a half years. Patrick Delaney has taken over McCarron’s communication responsibilities in the interim.
John Dardis joined Dairy Management Inc., as the executive vice president of global sustainability strategy, science and industry. Dardis most recently was the senior vice president of public policy and sustainability at Glanbia. He also served as the first secretary of agriculture and food at the Embassy of Ireland.
John Dardis
The U.S. Wheat Associates has promoted Michael Anderson to market analyst. Anderson had been the assistant director of the West Coast office since July 2018. He succeeds Claire Hutchins, who left the association. Before joining USW, Anderson was the international marketing program coordinator for the Food Export Association.
Mike DeCamp has been named the president and CEO of CoverCress Inc., a company aiming to commercialize the nation’s first “cash cover crop." DeCamp served the last year as the chief operating officer. DeCamp succeeds Jerry Steiner, CoverCress co-founder, who will now serve as executive chairman of the board. Cameron Ator joins CoverCress as the new chief commercial officer. He brings 30 years of experience to the position, most recently working for Bayer Crop Science.
Jake Westlin has been promoted to senior director of policy and communications at the National Association of Wheat Growers. He joined NAWG in 2019 as the government relations representative. Earlier in his career, Westlin was a legislative correspondent and legislative aide to former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.
Michael Anderson
Antoine de Saint-Affrique has been appointed to be the new chief executive officer of Danone, effective Sept. 15. He succeeds the joint interim leadership of Véronique Penchienati-Bosetta and Shane Grant. Saint-Affrique comes to Danone from Barry Callebaut, a global chocolate maker and cocoa processor, where he has been CEO since 2015.
Tim Monahan is the new staff director of the House Administration Committee. He replaces Jen Daulby, who has taken a new job with the Consumer Brands Association as the senior vice president of government affairs.
Maggie Stith now serves as the sustainability, stakeholder and government relations manager for Valent USA. She was previously the sustainability and external relations manager. She has also served as the senior regional director at the National FFA Foundation.
Reana Kovalcik has joined the American Forest Climate Working Group as a communications adviser. Kovalcik previously worked for National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and was Councilmember Elissa Silverman’s, I-D.C., communication director.
Marlyn Montenegro
The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has elevated Marlyn Montenegro to office manager in the organization's Latin America office. Montenegro previously was the administrative assistant in the same office.
David Townsend has been promoted to assistant director of member engagement at American Farm Bureau. He joined AFBF in 2019 and before that served as the National FFA President.
Ag Growth International Inc. has added Mike Frank as a new director on the board. He has spent his 33-year career working in leadership positions for Nutrien and Monsanto. Most recently, he was CEO of Nutrien Ag Solutions.
The American Feed Industry Association has elected Mike Schuster, Laidig Systems, as the new chairman of the board of directors. Schuster succeeds Scott Druker, Church & Dwight Company, who will now transition to chair the Institute for Feed and Education and Research’s board of trustees for a one-year term. Dean Warras of Phibro Animal Health Corporation was tapped to be chair-elect and will succeed Schuster as chair in May 2022. The board also elected the following individuals to serve three-year terms: John Akridge, MFA Incorporated; Scott Anderson, California Pellet Mill; Gerry Daignault, The Maschhoffs LLC; Frank Goode, ILC Resources; C. Ross Hamilton, Darling Ingredients Inc.; Scott Lovin, Ag Partners LLC; Lisa Norton, BioZyme Incorporated; Brian Rittgers, Micronutrients USA LLC; Gisele Santos Bin, BASF Corporation; Leigh Ann Sayen, The Peterson Company; Kevin S
Jim Clendenen, founder of Au Bon Climat winery, passed away at the age of 68. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a pre-law degree. But one month after graduation he stayed in Burgundy and Champagne which convinced him to attempt a career in wine rather than continue on to law school. Known for his larger-than-life personality, Clendenen was an award-winning winemaker located in the Santa Maria, Calif., area.
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