Delegates of the U.S. Grains Council recently elected as chairman Jim Stitzlein, manager of market development for Consolidated Grain and Barge Co., at its 58th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting.

Stitzlein unveiled his chairman’s theme during the final general session: “When Trade Works, the World Wins.”

“The diversity of the U.S. Grains Council is key to the work it does,” Stitzlein said. “From farmers to traders and agribusinesses, each role is important in the Council’s mission of developing markets, enabling trade and improving lives.

“Working with those diverse perspectives within the global trade market is one way to encourage effective and efficient trade in both supply and price for international customers, steady growth in world markets and political stability throughout the world.”

Stitzlein has more than 40 years of experience in the commodity grain handling and export business, including local origination programs; hedging and merchandising; transportation, logistics and facility management; and export trading and documentation.

Involved with the Council for more than 20 years, Stitzlein has traveled extensively for the organization, is active in the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), from which he received the NGFA Distinguished Service Award, and has broadly participated in other activities related to quality and biotechnology as they impact the grain trade.

Stitzlein grew up working on his family farm in Ohio where he was active in 4-H and FFA. He earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics from Ohio State University.

In addition to Stitzlein’s ascendency, the Council’s delegates elected Jim Raben from the Illinois Corn Marketing Board as secretary/treasurer, sector directors and three at-large directors.

The Board of Directors now includes:

- Jim Stitzlein, chairman, Consolidated Grain and Barge Co.

- Darren Armstrong, Corn Growers Association of North Carolina Inc., vice chairman

- Jim Raben, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, secretary/treasurer

- Deb Keller, past chairman, Iowa Corn Promotion Board

- Thomas N. Sleight, president and CEO

- Duane Aistrope, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, at-large director

- Ray Defenbaugh, Big River Resources LLC, agribusiness/ethanol and coproducts sector director

- Greg Hibner, J.D. Heiskell Hawkeye Gold Office, agribusiness sector director

- Charles Ray Huddleston, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, sorghum sector director

- Joshua Miller, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, at-large director

- Tom Mueller, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, corn sector director

- Tadd Nicholson, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, checkoff sector director

- Mark Seastrand, North Dakota Barley Council, barley sector director

- Ryan Wagner, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, at-large director

- Chad Willis, Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council, at-large director

The new board of directors will serve until July 2019.

The Council’s summer meeting featured general sessions focused on the emerging trade policy landscape, meetings of the organization’s Advisory Teams and sessions of membership sectors.

More from the Denver meeting is available here, here and on social media, using the hashtag #grains18.