Dan Durheim has been tapped as chief operating officer for the California Farm Bureau. He was most recently assistant vice president of sponsor relations at Nationwide Insurance. Durheim worked for nearly two decades in numerous roles for the Minnesota Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation. He will begin his role on July 1.
Dan Durheim, California Farm Bureau. Agri-Pulse is adding Chloe Lovejoy as associate editor for its western coverage team. Based in Sacramento, she will work with Brad Hooker to expand daily, weekly and special project coverage in the top agriculture-producing state in the country. Lovejoy is a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University, where she studied journalism and film. In the past year, she has served as editor-in-chief of the university news service, Mustang Media Group, overseeing more than 150 student reporters.
Alexia Spentzas joined Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., as communications director. She held press assistant positions with Reps. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., and Mike Turner, R-Ohio.
The California Almond Growers announced their board of directors results. Selected for grower positions include Paul Ewing of Los Banos and Joe Gardiner or Earlimart. Garrett Bloemhof of Shafter and Katie Staack of Hughson are grower alternates. Bob Silveira of Williams and Darren Rigg of Le Grand were selected for handler positions. The group selected Justin Morehead of Coalinga and Chad DeRose of McFarland for alternate handler positions. Finally, Christine Gemperle of Ceres was selected to serve in the co-op grower position with Lucas Van Duyn of Ripon being the alternate co-op grower representative. The individuals will begin their term on August 1.
Doreen Dyt has joined California Dairies, Inc. as a field representative. A spring 2024 Cal Poly graduate with degrees in agricultural business and water policy, Dyt has experience as an intern with the National Milk Producers Federation, Alltech dairy sales and support team and the California general assembly. She was awarded the Cal Poly College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science Academic Excellence award.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., added David Maestas to his staff as a senior legislative assistant for energy, commerce, tribal, transportation and public works. He is a veteran of the offices of Rep. Tony Gonzalez, R-Texas, and Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.
Mac Marshall is no longer vice president of market intelligence at the United Soybean Board. In a June 6 LinkedIn post, Marshall wrote that “changes in management beget changes in personnel and expertise.” He ended his post with “#opentowork."
Mac Marshall, formerly with the United Soybean Board.
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Rep. David Scott, D- Ga., has promoted Zoë C. Prince to chief of staff in his personal office. She was previously a legislative assistant in Scott’s office covering environmental protection, public lands, natural resources, tribal and energy issues. Prince has held staff positions in numerous House offices since August 2019.
Kevin Arquit has left his role as chief legal officer at JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker. His position change comes as JBS is being sued by New York state for making misleading statements about the company’s environmental efforts. Arquit joined Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan as co-chair of the firm’s antitrust and competition practice.
Mark Hayes will depart as VP of communications at the Farm Credit Council June 13. He has served in that role for seven years. On July 2, Hayes will take a new job as vice president of global communications at the Futures Industry Association.
Leah McPhearson has been promoted to legislative assistant covering agriculture and fisheries in the office of House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. She has been with the office for nearly a year in junior staff positions. McPhearson also has experience at Cancer Support Community, where she worked in policy and advocacy positions.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., added Matthew Fontenot as a legislative aide, working on agriculture, food, natural resources and animal welfare. Fontenot is a native of Kiner, La., part of Louisiana's 4th District, which Johnson represents.
The House Natural Resources Committee tapped Anna Mathis as a press assistant supporting Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark. She previously interned with the Senate Agriculture Committee minority, National Agricultural Law Center and a Syrian refugee non-profit while studying in Rome. Mathis is a past National FFA officer, Truman Scholar and spring 2024 recipient of the Senior Citation award from the University of Arkansas.
Food and agriculture marketing agency MorganMeyers has been acquired by G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group. The new organization, MorganMyers, a G&S Agency, plans to retain employees of both organizations on staff and keep MorganMeyers’ Wisconsin and Iowa offices open. This is G&S’s second business acquisition in five years.
Carolyn Lawrence-Dill has been tapped as dean of the Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences effective Aug. 1. She is the first woman to hold the position. Lawrence-Dill was previously associate dean for research and discovery in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. She specialized in agronomy and plant genetics.
Carolyn Lawrence-Dill, Dean of the Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences.
Dawn Wyse-Pester has started a new role as director of innovation at Land O’ Lakes' WinField United farm chemical unit. She will lead research and product development technical innovation teams. Wyse-Pester worked for Monsanto for 14 years and Bayer for two and a half years after Bayer bought Monsanto.Newly sworn-in Rep. Vince Fong, R- Calif., tapped James Min as chief of staff. Min had various positions – most recently chief of staff – for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy until he vacated his seat in December 2023.
FMC Corp. announced leadership changes Tuesday following the departure of CEO Mark Douglas. Its board named Pierre Brondeau CEO in addition to his role as chairman. Brondeau was chairman and CEO of FMC from 2010 until he retired in 2020. Ronaldo Pereira has been named president. A 28-year FMC veteran, Pereira will oversee sustainability, external affairs, regulatory and marketing and continue to oversee the plant health business. Changes are effective immediately.
The American Egg Board has tapped Bill Winkelman as vice president of industry affairs and engagement. Winkelman is a veteran of the National Pork Board, U.S. Pork Center of Excellence and FarrPro Inc.
Lacey Bowersox has been promoted to senior legislative assistant in the office of House Agriculture Committee member Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill. She will cover agriculture, environment and natural resources. Bowersox is a veteran of The Russell Group, U.S. Grains Council and American Feed Industry Association.
U.S. Wheat Associates hired Sam Yap as a bakery technician in its Singapore office to focus on South and Southeast Asia. He brings nearly a decade of experience in high-end bakeries and hotels and skill in traditional Chinese baking. Yap is fluent in Mandarin, Bahasa and English. Singapore is one of 15 overseas U.S. Wheat offices.
National Sorghum Producers presented its award for outstanding achievement in sorghum improvement to Michael Lenz, a sorghum breeder at Innovative Seed Solutions, a joint venture of Monsanto and Remington Holding Co., LLC, and Larry Richardson, president of family-owned Richardson Seeds, Vega, Texas.
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