Colin Woodall has been tapped to serve as the new CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Woodall previously served as the vice president of government affairs. Woodall first joined NCBA in 2004 and succeeds Kendal Frazier, a 34-year NCBA veteran, who announced his plans to retire earlier this year. Ethan Lane has been selected to take Woodall’s former position.
Shari Rogge-Fidler has been chosen as the new president and CEO of Farm Foundation. Rogge-Fidler is a fifth-generation farm owner from Nebraska, who began her career in London in financial services and then went to the Boston Consulting Group. She and her family launched and grew a branded gourmet organic food company, where she served as vice president of sales and marketing. Most recently, Rogge-Fidler was CEO of Family Farms LLC.
CoBank has chosen Andrew Jacob to succeed Ann Trakimas as its new COO. Trakimas is retiring from the bank at the end of year. Jacob currently serves as the bank's chief regulatory, legislative and compliance officer. Before joining CoBank in 2011, Jacob spent almost 25 years with the Farm Credit Administration.
Shari Rogge-Fidler
Roquette has selected Jean-Philippe Azoulay to serve as vice president of its pea and new proteins business line. Azoulay succeeds Pascal Leroy, who has moved to a new leadership role within the company. Azoulay previously worked as global director of DuPont’s Nutrition Business and most recently as director general of the European Crop Protection Association.
The Mahindra Group has opened a new Washington, D.C., office and selected Dilip Sundaram to lead its efforts.Sundaram currently serves as president of corporate affairs-Americas.
Clinton Griffiths is the new Editor of Farm Journal magazine. He’s been hosting AgDay television.
Susan Skiles Luke is now the deputy director of external communications, North America, for Bayer Crop Sciences. Skiles Luke served as an independent communications consultant for Bayer for the past two years. Before that, she was the editorial director at Farm Journal Media.
Devry Boughner Vorwerk has started her own company called DevryBV Sustainable Strategies, offering strategic communications and engagement strategies to corporate leaders. Boughner Vorwerk previously served as the corporate vice president of global corporate affairs at Cargill.
David Townsend is a new project coordinator in the department of leadership, education, and engagement at American Farm Bureau Federation. Townsend studied plant science at the University of Delaware.
Shiloh Perry left the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), where she served as a media relations specialist since March 2018. She started a new job with the Texas Association of Counties. AFBF has not yet hired a replacement.
John Porter is the new chief of staff for Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas. He previously served as the legislative director and deputy chief of staff for Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas. Porter also served on the House Agriculture Committee as a legislative assistant for Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla.
James O’Brien is now a legislative assistant for Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas. O’Brien previously served in the office of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as a legislative correspondent. For Brady he handles the portfolio for appropriations, foreign trade, science and technology and immigration.
Katie Waldman is heading to the White House to become the press secretary in the office of the vice president. Waldman previously served as Sen. Martha McSally’s, R-Ariz., communications director.
Wesley Wright has been promoted to a legislative assistant from a legislative aide in Sen. Pat Toomey’s, R-Pa., office. He covers the portfolio for agriculture and food, animal welfare, energy, environmental protection, and natural resources.
Kayla McMurry is now a legislative counsel for Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. McMurry handles the portfolio for energy, environmental protection, public lands, and natural resources.
Kevin Hartley has been promoted to senior legislative assistant for Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas. Hartley covers the portfolio for agriculture and food, animal welfare, small business, labor, and telecommunications.
Courtney Broderick is a new legislative assistant for Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas. She covers the appropriations, labor, and small business portfolio.
Veronica Bonilla has left the office of Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., where she served as press secretary. She now works at the Aerospace Industries Association of America as a media director.
Peter Barnes is the new chief of staff for Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C. He previously served as the state and local outreach manager of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.
Preston Cory has left the office of Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., where she served as a legislative assistant covering the energy, natural resources, water, and environment portfolio. She previously worked at the office of congressional and intergovernmental relations at EPA.
Usamah Andrabi is now the communications director for Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis. Andrabi previously worked at BerlinRosen Ltd. as an associate account executive.
Allen Cambon has been promoted to legislative director for Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-La. Cambon covers the portfolio for appropriations, energy, environmental protection, science and technology, and telecommunications.
Katarina DeFilippo has been promoted to legislative assistant for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., covering the appropriations and telecommunications portfolio. She previously served as a legislative correspondent for Estes and also interned for the House Small Business Committee.
L-R: Front row: Britt Lundgren, Doug Crabtree, Executive Director Laura Batcha, Kim Dietz, and Bob Kaake. Back row: Mark Squire, Avi Garbow, Tracy Favre, David Lively, Perry Clutts, Paul Schiefer, Ben Diesl, Melissa Hughes, and Michael Menes.
The Organic Trade Association elected new board members at its annual meeting in Baltimore this past week. Doug Crabtree, owner-operator of Vilicus Farms, and Melissa Hughes, chief mission officer and general counsel for Organic Valley, were re-elected to the board. Karen Jobb, vice president of sales at Clif Bar & Company, and Avi Garbow, environmental advocate at Patagonia Works, were elected for their first terms on the board.
The 1968 president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, Keith Kirkpatrick, passed away at the age of 94 at his home in West Des Moines, Iowa. Kirkpatrick was honored as the 1971 Broadcaster of the Year at NAFB and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII in the Philippine Islands and was honorably discharged. He worked for WHO radio from 1950-1990, full time as a Farm Broadcaster and served for many years as Farm Director. Kirkpatrick has requested memorials be sent to Food Bank of Iowa, 2220 E. 17th St., Des Moines, IA 50316.
Morton Irvin Sosland, who led Sosland Publishing Co., died at the age of 93. He began his freshman year of college at Harvard University in 1942 and in 1943 enlisted in the Army. Sosland joined Sosland Publishing Company in 1947, where he worked initially under the direction of his uncle, Samuel Sosland. Morton Sosland served a 72-year career with the company, where he worked as a publisher and editor.
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