Southern California water leader Shivaji Deshmukh will be the next general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California after being unanimously elected by the agency’s board of directors. It is the nation’s largest drinking water provider. Deshmukh will become the 16th general manager in the history of the nearly 100-year-old water agency. He succeeds Deven Upadhyay. Deshmukh previously served as general manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency and earlier was assistant general manager at West Basin Municipal Water District. Deshmukh is also president-elect of the WateReuse California Board of Trustees and serves on the US Water Alliance Board of Directors.
Ian Mariani is now communications director for Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. He has been with the office since February, recently as national press secretary. Earlier, Mariani was a senior adviser and communications director for Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif.
Shivaji Deshmukh (MWDSC photo)Fresh produce digital operations platform Fusionware announced numerous new hires to strengthen the leadership and technical capabilities of the team. Abe Vanegas was named director of implementations. He previously held leadership roles with Famous Software, GrubMarket, and his own consulting firm specializing in produce software solutions. Bryce Jones was named senior manager of sales engineering. He began his career in ag retail supporting growers and internal teams through a range of precision agriculture and farm management initiatives.
Additionally, Fusionware hired Michael Wright as a business intelligence and data analytics architect. He has over a decade of experience in data science and business intelligence development. Brittney McKenna was hired as a software engineer. She has worked in the field for more than a decade, including seven years focused on agriculture software.
Dani Antonio is now communications director and a legislative aide for Assemblymember Jessica Caloza. She was previously an intern for Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif.
The Organic Produce Association hired Jennifer Jacobs as director of marketing and membership. She has worked in the natural foods and retail industry for nearly two decades, recently holding leadership roles at Whole Foods Market and the Plant Based Foods Association.
Helena Products Group general manager Patrick Ewan began his tenure as chairman of the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology. Under Ewan’s leadership, the group aims to raise its voice on critical regulatory and policy issues at the national level with a five-year strategic plan.
Greg Ruehle (RAAA photo)Greg Ruehle was named executive vice president of the Red Angus Association of America. He will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s national staff and programs, guiding strategic initiatives, and enhancing member services. Previously he served as president and CEO of the Nebraska Cattlemen, American Shorthorn Association, National Sorghum Producers, Independent Professional Seed Association and ServiTech Inc. Ruehle began his career as director of private lands and environmental management for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Matt Leopold joined Holland & Knight as a partner and co-chair of the group’s National Environmental Practice. He was previously an environmental partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. During the first Trump administration, he served as general counsel at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Boehringer Ingelheim hired Ryan Donnelly as senior associate director of government affairs and public policy. He joins Boehringer from The Dow Chemical Co.’s government affairs team. Before that, Donnelly was a legislative staffer for Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., for seven years focused on agriculture issues. He received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from South Dakota State University. Beth Breeding has taken on a new role as associate director of state government affairs and public policy. She previously led corporate communications for Boehringer’s livestock and equine portfolio. Earlier, she held roles with the National Turkey Federation and Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.
Cut through the clutter! We deliver the news you need to stay informed about farm, food and rural issues. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse here.
The North American Equipment Dealers Association appointed Steve Hunt, president of H&R Agri-Power, as the new board chairman. In addition to his leadership at Case IH, New Holland, and Kubota dealership H&R Agri-Power, Hunt serves as a board member of Agri-Chem, a member of the Dealer Advisory Board Case IH Crops Committee, and a partner in Hunt Farms and Quarles Spring Farming operations. Hunt succeeds Jared Nobbe, who serves as vice president of centralized services at Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners John Deere.
The Sustainable Advanced Biofuel Refiners Coalition added new members to the board of directors: Ron Kindred, Kerry Fogarty and Chad Gawryliuk. The trio will join nine other directors who represent feedstock growers, biodiesel producers, distributors, retailers and consumers who advocate for policy that promotes the use of sustainable feedstocks and levels the playing field for all fuels. Kindred is a director and past chairman of the Illinois Soybean Association and raises corn and soybeans on his farm in central Illinois. Fogarty is quality control manager with Illinois soybean processing and biodiesel manufacturing facility, Incobrasa Industries. He also sits on the National Oilseed Processors Association board of directors. Gawryliuk is head of biodiesel at Pilot Co. Prior to Pilot, he traded biofuels for AOT Energy Americas in Calgary and Houston.
Brock Nemecek (Ten Acre Marketing photo)Ten Acre Marketing hired Brock Nemecek as vice president of client services. He will oversee client satisfaction, retention and organic growth, as well as the development of Ten Acre’s account management team. Nemecek was previously senior marketing manager at Farm Journal. Additionally, Mary Heslep was promoted to senior vice president of strategy and business development to lead the agency’s overall growth. Terri Spencer was promoted to senior vice president of operations and creative.
The North American Millers’ Association co-hosted the group’s annual meeting with the Canadian National Millers Association. During the event, Alan Koechner of PepsiCo and Keith Adams of Bay State Milling were elected to serve on NAMA’s board of directors. Additionally, Riley Didion of Didion Milling was welcomed as the incoming Corn Division chair. Didion succeeds Brian Anderson of Grain Millers Inc.
Also at the NAMA meeting, Rick Schwein was awarded the 2025 Honorary Member Award. He is retired from Grain Millers Inc. Dan Fetherston, formerly of SEMO Milling, was awarded the 2025 Honorary Member Award posthumously.
National Governors Association Executive Director Bill McBride will retire at the end of the year. He has served as NGA’s executive director since 2019. During his tenure, the organization advanced its research and policy operations, strengthened bipartisan collaboration, and achieved record participation from governors and senior state officials nationwide. A formal search for McBride’s successor will be led by the executive search firm Heidrick and Struggles.
The National Academy of Medicine announced the election of two nutrition experts among 100 new members of the academy. They are Aline Andres, professor and chief of developmental nutrition at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Christina D. Economos, dean and professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Andres, project leader at the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center in Little Rock, was honored for providing global leadership in defining how exposures during pregnancy and lactation affect maternal-child outcomes. Economos was cited as a renowned nutrition scholar and leader in the design and implementation of multidimensional childhood obesity prevention with particular relevance to ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations in urban and rural communities.
Michael Hawthorne joined the Senate Finance Committee Republican staff as tax counsel. He previously worked for Squire Patton Boggs as an associate. Earlier, Hawthorne was a law clerk for the Senate Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee.
Are you changing jobs, getting promoted or receiving an award? Know someone who is? Email Lydia@Agri-Pulse.com to be featured in next week’s edition of Farm Hands on the Potomac.
