Driscoll’s appointed Darci Vetter as vice president of public affairs. Based in Washington D.C., she will be focused on supporting enterprise-wide alignment on governmental affairs across Driscoll’s global regions. Vetter previously served as chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the Obama administration. She also served as deputy undersecretary of agriculture, overseeing USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and its global market access, food assistance and capacity building programs. Following her public service, Vetter held executive leadership roles as head of global public policy at The Nature Conservancy and PepsiCo.
Tony Frye (USSIBWC photo)Tony Frye was named the deputy commissioner for public and congressional affairs for the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission. He was previously associate administrator for highway policy and external affairs at the Federal Highway Administration in the Department of Transportation. He also previously held roles at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and EPA.
Maryam Brown, the chief executive officer of Southern California’s sprawling natural gas utility SoCalGas, resigned. She will relocate to the Midwest to be president and chief operating officer of Indiana Michigan Power. Rodger Schwecke, currently the company’s chief operating officer, will serve as interim president of SoCalGas.
Public affairs organization BGR Group hired Bob Marcum as managing director in the energy and climate practice. He was previously managing director at FTI Consulting.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service associate administrator Michelle Wenberg has retired after 38 years of federal service. She began her career as an intern and went on to hold key roles at the agency, including APHIS budget officer and deputy administrator for policy and program development. According to a release from the department, Wenberg’s portfolio “will be distributed among the current executive leaders in the Office of the Administrator to ensure continuity of service and support.”
Also at APHIS, Matthew Rhoads was appointed deputy administrator for plant protection and quarantine. He has served in an acting deputy administrator role since May 2025. Rhoads has been with APHIS for nearly three decades and has a background in import policy, pest exclusion, offshore programs, and coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Program. Additionally, Hallie Zimmers was appointed deputy administrator for emergency and regulatory compliance services. She was previously deputy associate administrator and APHIS adviser for state and stakeholder relations.
Bruce Howarth retired from Alpaugh Irrigation District which he led for 12 years. The district was founded in 1915 and covers about 10,000 acres supporting primarily pistachios, pomegranates and row crops on the far southwestern edge of Tulare County. Mike Battles, who previously worked at Lower Tule River and Pixley irrigation districts, will succeed Howarth after shadowing him for the past six months.
Bruce Howarth, left, and Mike Battles, right. (Lisa McEwen / SJV Water photo)
Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans have promoted and added new senior staff. Corey Brown Weber, who joined the committee in August 2025 as chief counsel, was promoted to deputy staff director. Earlier, she was legislative director for Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and held positions with the National Pork Producers Council, National Agricultural Law Center and North Carolina General Assembly. Skylar Sowder has rejoined the committee as policy director. She served as professional staff on the committee in 2021 overseeing commodity programs, crop insurance and disaster assistance. Since then, she has been vice president of government affairs at the Farm Credit Council. Earlier, Sowder held positions with the House Agriculture Committee and in the personal office of Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark.
The International Dairy Foods Association hired Maggie McClain as vice president of communications. She will lead day-to-day execution of media relations, earned media, member policy communications and digital advocacy efforts at the organization. Earlier, McClain was senior vice president at the global communications consultancy FleishmanHillard focused on food, agriculture, health and consumer brands clients. She also previously held roles with H+K Strategies, Food Allergy Research & Education, Banner Public Affairs and the Consumer Brands Association.
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Holly McAvoy was named Case IH Head of Brand Communications at CNH. She worked for John Deere for the last 20 years, recently as manager of brand activation and events.
Conagra Brands named John Brase president and CEO effective June 1. He will also join the company’s board of directors. Brase was previously president and chief operating officer at the J.M. Smucker Co. Earlier, he spent about 30 years at Procter & Gamble where he moved into senior leadership roles. Brase succeeds Sean Connolly, who will step away from the company at the end of May.
Sam Kasner joined the Public Affairs Council as manager of events. Kasner previously held event management roles at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and World Wildlife Fund.
Luke Lindberg (Agri-Pulse photo)The Trump administration nominated Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg as its candidate to lead the United Nations World Food Program. In February, Cindy McCain, the widow of late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said she would step down from the executive director post. Agri-Pulse previously reported that Lindberg was the leading contender to fill the position. The U.S. is the largest WFP donor and has traditionally nominated the executive director, who serves a five-year term. However, the position is formally appointed by UN secretary-general and the director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization following an interview panel. China’s Qu Dongyu is the current FAO director-general. But an administration official granted anonymity to speak candidly about the process said they doubt Lindberg’s candidacy would encounter any issues. The official said they anticipated the appointment process would take several months.
Perdue Foods appointed Andy Urban as chief commercial officer, effective immediately. He’s held numerous senior leadership roles, including senior vice president of the transformation office, since joining the company in 2009.
Travis Taylor was hired as a staff assistant for the Senate Ag Committee Republican staff. A graduate of Mississippi College, he previously managed a ranch operation in central Mississippi raising American Wagyu and heritage-grade pork. Taylor completed internships in the offices of Mississippi Republican Reps. Trent Kelly and Mike Ezell.
Government and regulatory affairs law firm Faegre Drinker hired Jeremiah Kelly and Justin Coen to focus on the Food and Drug Administration. They were previously partners at Venable.
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