Alexis Taylor
Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USA

Alexis Taylor is an Iowa native, with a career focused on U.S. agricultural and trade policy.  Prior to her appointment as Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Alexis was appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown as director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) in December 2016. As director, she worked to promote and regulate agriculture and food, keeping the mission to ensure healthy natural resources, environment, and economy for Oregonians now and into the future at the forefront.

Prior to Alexis’ appointment, she oversaw the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS). While traveling the world she worked to open new markets and improve the competitive position of U.S. agricultural products in the marketplace. Before joining USDA, Alexis worked for several U.S. Congressman, staffing members from Montana and her home state. 

Alexis is a graduate of Iowa State University and grew up on her family farm in Iowa, which has been in her family for 160 years. While still in high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves. During her junior year in college her army unit was deployed to Iraq, where she served one tour with the 389th Combat Engineer Battalion. While no longer an active reservist, Alexis continues to advocate for veterans.

Jim Sutter
Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Soybean Export Council, USA

Jim Sutter joined USSEC as its CEO in 2010 after over 30 years of industry experience with Cargill, Inc. Since joining USSEC, Sutter has led strategy development to ensure that the organization’s key focus is on differentiating and building a preference for U.S. Soy, while also ensuring market access. Key initiatives have included building on the competitive advantage of U.S. Soy’s sustainability, improving the partnership with customers in the area of sustainable food security, and demonstration of the intrinsic and extrinsic advantages of U.S. Soy to customers around the globe. Strong emphasis has also been placed on ensuring USSEC’s project management and administrative processes meet or exceed the requirements of their funding sources.

Sutter grew up on a crop and cattle farm in northeastern Colorado and received a degree in Agricultural Business/Economics from Colorado State University. 

Reggie Strickland
Board of Directors, U.S. Soybean Export Council; and Director, United Soybean Board, USA

Reggie farms with his wife, Laura, their daughter, Savannah, and his father, Garrett. Their diversified farm produces soybeans, corn, pigs, turkeys, pickling cucumbers, sweet potatoes and flue-cured tobacco. A seventh-generation farmer, Reggie holds a degree in agribusiness management from North Carolina State University, and he worked with the Agricultural Business Management Department at the university seasonally for 10 years before transitioning to full-time farming. In addition to their daughter, he and Laura have a son, Grayson.

Ryan LeGrand
President and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Grains Council, USA

Ryan LeGrand serves as the President and Chief Executive for the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including ethanol and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

With full-time presence in 13 key markets and representatives in an additional 15 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council supports global economic development through partnerships, enabling U.S. agriculture’s profitability.

LeGrand brings decades of experience in export grain trading and market development. Fluent in Spanish, LeGrand spent much of his career in Mexico, a humble beginning as an Export Manager at Garvey International before going on to lead multinational teams at Hawkeye Gold and Gavilon. 

LeGrand also serves as Vice Chair of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee and a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy Negotiations, a presidentially appointed advisory committee to the United States Trade Representative.

LeGrand grew up in Oklahoma and earned a degree in International Business from Oklahoma State University.

Verity Ulibarri
Chairwoman, U.S. Grains Council, USA

Verity is an owner/operator of a crop and livestock farm with her husband, Anthony Ulibarri, in Curry County New Mexico, primarily producing grain sorghum, winter wheat, forages, and cattle. She is a fifth-generation farmer and continues to be active in farm management, production and farm related organizations. Verity has 15 years of agricultural lending experience in the Farm Credit System and a number of years of experience as a board member of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, U.S. Grains Council and a long-term member of National Sorghum Producers.

Florentino Lopez
Principal, Creando Mañana, USA

Florentino Lopez currently serves as an independent agricultural consultant with Creando Mañana, LLC. Creando Mañana is an agricultural consulting company catering to the needs of individuals and companies looking for a fresh perspective, insightful review, and the opportunity to create untraditional approaches that result in substantial and meaningful change. As a consultant, he assists the United Sorghum Checkoff program and other entities in the promotion of sorghum and other agricultural products both domestically and internationally through the facilitation of direct product sales, the building of inter-company relationships, and sharing of technical information. 

Before his current role, Florentino served as the executive director of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, a farmer-funded organization dedicated to improving the sorghum industry through research, promotion, and education. 

Florentino received a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education from Texas A&M University in Kingsville. After graduation, Florentino started a 20+ year career in the swine industry that led, most recently, to a 10+ year career in the farming industry. Florentino has worked, built, trained, led teams, and started projects and operations in multiple countries. 

Martin Ruikka
President, The ProExporter Network, USA

Marty Ruikka is a principal of The ProExporter Network® and manages the firm’s “Commodity Market Zone Analysis” (CMZA) software. He has used CMZA to help rationalize many mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures and to establish the strategic origination plans for many grain companies and cooperatives. He is also responsible for the firm’s ethanol analysis and feasibility studies. He began working with The PRX Network soon after its inception in the late 1980s. 

Michael Krueger
Senior Analyst, World Perspectives, USA

Mr. Krueger held various management positions with Cargill, Inc., from 1974 to 1982, including country elevator management and spring wheat and durum merchandising. He founded two grain marketing consulting companies after leaving Cargill, Agri-Mark and the Money Farm. Mr. Krueger was also a senior analyst for World Perspectives, a Washington based international agricultural consulting company. He has traveled extensively internationally as a speaker at various farm and grain industry meetings and seminars at locations in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa and Latin America. Mr. Krueger served on the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange and was a licensed commodity broker. He continues to write about agricultural markets for industry related publications. He resides in Fargo, ND, USA.

Ken Eriksen
Managing Partner, Polaris Analytics and Consulting, USA

As Managing Member of Polaris Analytics and Consulting, Ken leads business activity and client engagement on commodity, supply chain, transportation and logistics activities for strategic positioning and focus.

Ken was a Strategic Advisor of the S&P Global, Commodity Insights Industry Executive Advisory team. In this capacity, he worked with clients to develop and strengthen business relationships in risk management, consulting and training courses.

A sought-after speaker on commodity, supply chain, transportation and infrastructure issues and developments, Ken is also an expert witness in the areas of transportation, logistics and supply-chain matters.

Ken had previously worked for the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service as an agricultural statistician. In that capacity, he conducted national surveys and set national estimates in agriculture. While at USDA, Ken also worked for the Agricultural Marketing Service on its transportation and marketing program, conducting research and analysis on domestic and international transportation issues.

Ken received his bachelor's and master's degrees in agribusiness and agricultural economics from Washington State University. While working on a master's degree there, he was a transportation economist for the Department of Agricultural Economics, performing economic transportation data analysis and modeling.

Voytek Chelkowski
Managing Partner, Seamind Blue Ocean; and Executive Coach, IMD, Switzerland

Voytek, a Swiss-based entrepreneur, management consultant, and coach for change, is the founder of Seamind Blue Ocean and serves as the executive coach at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Lausanne where, amongst other programs, he coaches at the Leading Sustainable Business Transformation course. Voytek is also a co-founder of The Mind Alliance, an international network of consultants assisting organizations and individuals in navigating change.

Voytek has been a driving force behind several successful ventures. Before embarking on a career in change management and coaching, Voytek spent 25 years in various roles in the maritime industry, negotiating high-stakes shipping deals, managing ocean freight portfolios providing strategic advice on vessel acquisitions, and driving consensus to create joint ventures. He founded Seamind Technologies, a Silicon Valley maritime IT start-up, and Seamind Singapore, a maritime consultancy and shipbroking firm, where he served as the Managing Director for 17 years. Voytek's expertise in shipping economics and freight markets has made him a sought-after speaker at various trade conferences across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

He holds an Executive Master's degree in Consulting and Coaching for Change from the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), an MSc in International Transport Management from the State University of New York, and an MSc in Ocean Navigation from the Maritime University in Szczecin. Voytek is also a graduate of the first edition of IMD's executive course on Leading Sustainable Business Transformation and INSEAD's Blue Ocean Strategy Program.

Jolene Riessen
President, Iowa Corn Growers Association, USA

Jolene Riessen along with her two sons, Cory and Lee, farm in Ida and Sac counties in Northwest Iowa. Their operation consists of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, custom cattle feeding and cow/calf.

Jolene serves as the Iowa Corn Growers Association President and is on the Exports & The Grain Trade Committee. She is very active in the agriculture industry and has had the opportunity to work in different ag related jobs that have complimented her farm roots.

Jolene currently serves as an Ida County District Soil Commissioner and is President of the Sac/Ida Corn Growers Association. She has served on the Animal, Ag and Environment Committee for Iowa Corn, Chair of the Industrial Usage and Production Committee and has served on the Governor’s task force for carbon sequestration and is a vocal advocate for what farmers are doing to help improve water quality. Her commitment to the ag sector continues through her memberships to the Ida County Cattlemen, Ida County Farm Bureau and Iowa Soybean Association DAC.

Ethanol, livestock and water quality are and will continue to be important areas of advocacy for Jolene on behalf of Iowa Corn farmers. 

Chris Hill
Director, American Soybean Association, USA

ASA Director Chris Hill grows soybeans and corn in Brewster, Minnesota. His family also operates a warehouse elevator. Hill joined the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association in 2002 and serves as the New Uses Action Team policy lead. Hill is a 4-H club leader who enjoys showing 4-H calves and spending time with his wife, Charisse, and daughters, Hannah and Emma.

He has a Bachelor of Science from South Dakota State University and is a member of the American Legion Honor Guard.

Lawrence Sukalski
Director, United Soybean Board, USA

Lawrence Sukalski raises corn and soybeans on his farm in Fairmont, Minnesota. He and his wife, Diane, farm with their five children – Jacob, Andrew, Kristina, Michael and Suzanne – and his brother, Harlan. Lawrence’s goals for his farm include being sustainable, both financially and through conservation. This is his seventh year as a United Soybean Board director. He is a member of the Executive Committee and the Value Alignment Committee and is also the Infrastructure and Connectivity Priority Area Coordinator.

Lawrence served nine years as an American Soybean Association director. He is a past Minnesota Soybean Growers Association officer, past Martin County Corn and Soybean Growers Association president and a current Farm Bureau member.

In addition to farming, Lawrence was the chair of the Martin County Economic Development Authority and was a member of Governor Pawlenty’s Conservation Legacy Council. 

Dawn Scheier
SEC-GAP Treasurer; and Director, South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, USA

Dawn Scheier currently farms full time with her husband Patrick and son Ben in Salem, SD. Scheier Farms is a 4th generation farm that raises corn and soybeans. Dawn attend school at Illinois Center College and Illinois State University for Animal Science.

Dawn currently serves on the United Soybean Board of Directors, South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Board and the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health Committee.

Scheier also is a past director for USSEC.

Joe Stoller
Indiana Soybean Alliance Board Member, USA 

Joseph Stoller operates J.R. Stoller Farms LLC in Marshall County, growing soybeans and commercial corn. Stoller is a full-time farmer who started in 2010.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Colorado State University in 2009 and participated in the United Soybean Board’s Leadership Program in 2018. Stoller hopes to discover new markets for U.S. soybeans while restoring traditional export markets. He would like to see checkoff dollars spent to boost demand both domestically and internationally for U.S.-grown soybeans.

“Ultimately I hope to create greater demand for U.S.-grown soybeans,” Stoller said. “I would like to see checkoff dollars used to help fund research for new soy-based products and to foster better relationships with current domestic and international buyers of U.S. and Indiana soybeans.”

He has served on the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) Board of Directors since 2019. Currently, Stoller is the chair of ISA’s Membership & Policy Committee. Stoller represents District 1, which includes Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Elkhart, Fulton, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Marshall, Miami, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Tipton, Wabash and White counties.

Mark Read
Director, Illinois Soybean Association; and Vice Chair of the Soy Excellence Center Steering Committee, USA 

Mark Read, District 5 director for the Illinois Soybean Association is from Putnam, Illinois. He serves on the Market Development Committee , Darin LaHoods Agriculture Advisory Committee and U.S. Soybean Export Council. He raises corn and soybeans in Putnam and Bureau County, and farmed 2,200 acres with his brother, Chuck, utilizing strip-till and no-till farming until 2020. 

Mark has a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois, is a member of the Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau and the Illinois Corn Growers. He has served on the boards of the Marshall-Putnam Soil and Water District, Putnam County Board of Review, and the Henry-Senachwine Unit #5 School District. He currently serves as Global Advisory Panel Vice Chair for the Soy Excellence Center.

Angel Harris
Senior Marketing Manager (Wheat & Barley), Bunge, Singapore 

Angel Harris is currently the Senior Marketing Manager for Wheat & Barley at Bunge Singapore. She is responsible for managing and growing existing customer partnerships under the Wheat & Barley value chain in Asia. She has more than 10 years of experience trading primarily grains, oilseeds, and feedstuffs in the Philippines and has held various regional roles in Singapore.

Alvaro Cordero
Senior Export Trader, AG Processing Inc., USA

Alvaro, is an Ag. Engineer from Rutgers University with an MBA from the Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica.  His experience has always been directly linked to the agriculture industry in different countries having experience in Palm Production with Chiquita Brands to hybrid seed development with Bayer Crop Science in the Americas.

Despite his hands on experience in agriculture production, Alvaro has dedicated most of his career on business development and direct involvement on trade with an emphasis on international commodities. He initiated his expertise as Executive Director of a start-up in Costa Rica as importer and exporter of rice for local rice mills, an entity that still is in operation today.  He quickly moved with global multinational exposure working for Louis Dreyfus Corp. out of their North American headquarters in Wilton, CT trading agriculture commodities to Latin America.

In addition, Alvaro had the opportunity to implement his knowledge with international markets working with the US Grains Council out of Washington, DC; by implementing development programs globally in particular for USA - corn, sorghum, co-products like DDGS and ethanol.

Currently, Alvaro enjoys the opportunity to build direct business programs internationally for Ag Processing Inc (AGP) in Omaha, NE, his responsibilities range from trading SBM to risk management of current and new markets.

Alvaro is married to Evelyn with whom they have a daughter Carolina A. and son David J.  Carolina transferred from GW in Washington, DC last fall to join the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, she is a Junior studying International Business.  David is a University of Maryland student in Economics.

Colin Gordon
Trade Unit Manager II, International Grains & Oilseeds, Scoular, Singapore

Scoular is a 130-year-old, privately held company with $10 billion in annual sales. Scoular is committed to creating safe, reliable, and innovative supply chain solutions for its feed and food customers around the world.

Colin has held various roles in his eleven-year Scoular career, most recently as Senior Trade Manager of Oilseed exports. He is responsible for developing and executing trading strategies, driving growth with value-added solutions for customers, and managing the financial performance of the business. He is passionate about building containerized oilseed supply chains from North America to Asia. Before joining Scoular, he worked in the renewable fuels sector in trading and risk management.

Colin is a graduate of Creighton University with degrees in finance and economics.  

Diaa Ghaly
Managing Director, Trans Globe, USA

Diaa Ghaly is the President and CEO of Trans Globe based in Woodstock Georgia USA.

Trans Globe is a global agribusiness leader linking farmers, producers, and processors with end users all over the world.

Trans Globe was established in Atlanta Georgia by the Ghaly family supported by a long history in international agribusiness development and trading. The company started as a global originator and exporter of agribusiness commodities and forestry products; and then gradually expanded into processing, packaging, and trading of both dry and frozen food items. Since its initiation; Trans Globe has been a unique ambassador for US famers and agribusiness processors. Trans Globe serves loyal customers in more than 48 countries and is one of the leading agribusiness containers and bulk vessel exporters from the USA and South America to the Middle East, Asia, South America, Africa, and Europe. Our global agribusiness origination, supply chain, and customer service abilities, make us an international leader with more than 25 years of experience.

Main Divisions:

•    Grains, Oil Seeds and By Products. 
•    Animal Proteins. 
•    Hay and Forage. 
•    Feed Additives. 
•    Food Ingredients and Services.  
•    Forestry Products.  

More about Trans Globe is at www.tglobetrade.com  

Julia Zhang
Agricultural Market Analyst, Argus Media, China 

Julia Zhang is the agriculture market analyst manager for Argus, and she will present China grain and oilseed market and how this effects SEA/global trade flows. 

Julia Zhang joined Argus in 2020 and has over 20 years of experience working at global agriculture companies, with a solid background in grains and oilseeds fundamental analysis. 

Argus has been bringing transparency to international commodity markets for more than 50 years. Argus covers commodity markets from upstream to downstream through accurate, reliable pricing and actionable information.  

The company brings the same expertise to the agriculture markets along with intelligence from Agritel, a leading provider of information, consulting and forecasting on agro-industrial markets. 

Kelly Stange
Agricultural Counselor, FAS / USDA (Thailand and Myanmar) 

Kelly Stange currently serves as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Agricultural Counselor stationed in Bangkok, Thailand, covering Myanmar and Laos. Before joining the FAS Bangkok Office of Agricultural Affairs, she served as FAS Foreign Affairs Managing Director from August 2020 to June 2021. From 2014 to 2019, Ms. Stange served as Agricultural Counselor in Berlin, Germany. As a Foreign Service officer, she represented the USDA in Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary. From 2010 to 2014, Ms. Stange served as the Agricultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, covering Panama and Nicaragua. Ms. Stange served in Brussels, Belgium, from 2006 to 2010 as the Agricultural Attaché for the U.S. Mission to the European Union. She was responsible for trade policy issues covering animal products, fruits and vegetables, and the U.S.-EU Veterinary Equivalency Agreement.

Lisa Ahramjian
Agricultural Counselor, FAS / USDA (Indonesia) 

Starting in August 2024, Lisa Ahramjian will serve as the Agricultural Counselor to Indonesia. She is charged with addressing bilateral agricultural trade barriers; assisting in the marketing of U.S. farm products; fostering cooperation on global agricultural issues; and reporting significant developments affecting the production, use, and trade of agricultural commodities in Indonesia. 

For the past two and a half years, Lisa has served as the Foreign Agricultural Service Vice President at the American Foreign Service Association. She previously served as the Agricultural Attaché to Ukraine, Burma / Myanmar, and the Dominican Republic.  

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Lisa worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the National Institutes of Health. 

Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, she received a BS in Animal Science from the University of Delaware and an MS in Biotechnology from Georgetown University.

Gerald Smith
Agricultural Counselor, FAS / USDA (Australia and New Zealand) 

Gerald H. Smith began his recent tour as Counselor for Agricultural Affairs, at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra in August 2023.  Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Smith was the Consular for Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Mission Nigeria from 2019 to 2023. Prior to serving in Nigeria, he was the Head of the FAS Office of Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Consulate Ho Chi Minh City from 2015 to 2019.  In his last Washington, D.C., assignment, Mr. Smith served as the Branch Chief of the Office of Capacity Building and Development’s Trade and Scientific Exchanges Division, where he guided the Agency’s agricultural cooperation with China.  

From 2009 to 2012 he served as the Attaché for Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea.  Prior to FAS Seoul, he served as the Attaché for Agricultural Affairs for India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.  He was responsible for marshalling the U.S – India Agricultural Knowledge Initiative. Mr. Smith served as an International Trade Specialist in FAS Washington's Food Safety Division from 2002 to 2006.  In this position, he provided technical expertise regarding trade-related capacity building activities pertaining to the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).  Additionally, Mr. Smith worked closely with several USDA and United States Government agencies to develop targeted training programs on World Trade Organization (WTO) sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) transparency issues for developing members of the WTO.   

He received his Ph.D. in International Development Policy from Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

Michael Ward
Agricultural Counselor, FAS / USDA (Philippines) 

Michael Ward is the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)’s Agricultural Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Ward was Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Operations responsible for overseeing FAS’s 24 offices covering the Western Hemisphere and the 29 Foreign Service Officers and 90 Locally Employed Staff and Civil Servants serving in the region. From 2017 to 2020, Michael was Senior Agricultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. Michael’s overseas tours also include serving in Afghanistan and Vietnam.

Mr. Ward joined FAS in 2007 and following domestic assignments was granted entry into FAS’s Foreign Service in 2010. He is originally from Missouri and currently resides in Manila with his wife and two children.

Jane Luxner
Agricultural Attaché, FAS / USDA (Vietnam) 

Jane Luxner has been the USDA/ Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Agricultural Attaché at the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City since January 2022. Jane started working at USDA in 2011 and has gained experience in several roles at the Department working on food safety and policy issues, global market analysis of rice and livestock commodities, and food assistance and capacity building programs. In addition to her experience at USDA, she also worked at USAID and in the private sector in a domestic economic development firm.

Candace Roper
Chief Representative, CoBank, ACB, Singapore

As Chief Representative, Candace is responsible for overseeing CoBank’s correspondent banking and trade finance relationships in Asia.  Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a network of customer-owned financial institutions that finance U.S. agricultural cooperatives and other businesses that are vital to America’s rural economy.  In keeping with this mission, CoBank’s trade finance business is dedicated to financing U.S. agricultural exports.  Candace has served in a variety of leadership roles for CoBank and opened the Singapore office in 1997.  She returned to the U.S. in 2000 to manage the Agriculture Export Finance Division and later moved to Washington, DC, where she was responsible for CoBank’s government affairs team.  Under her leadership, the bank established CoBank Knowledge Exchange, which provides strategic analysis and insights on the industries served by CoBank.  Before returning to the Singapore office in 2014, Candace served as Regional Vice President for CoBank’s Rural Electric Cooperative lending group. Prior to joining CoBank, she managed country risk analysis for the Bank of New England (now Bank of America) in Boston. Candace holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She served on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade of the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2001-2015 and is a past board member of the North American Export Grain Association.

Caleb Wurth
Regional Director, S.E. Asia and Oceania, U.S. Grains Council

Caleb serves as the Regional Director of Southeast Asia and Oceania for the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products worldwide. In this capacity, Wurth identifies, designs and executes market promotion programs that foster the mutually beneficial trade of these products to the countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. 

Prior to the Council, Wurth held positions at Archer Daniels Midland as Grain and Co-product Trader and Manager of International Container Freight.  Prior to ADM, Wurth served as a Series 55,63 and 7 certified Trader at J.P MorganChase Investment Bank where he traded commodity and equity ETF derivates. 

Wurth holds a B.S. in Feed Science and Management from Kansas State University. There he published scientific research in Trans Pacific Feed Preservation and Particle Grain Size Analysis. 

The U.S. Grains Council is a private, non-profit partnership of agribusinesses and producers committed to building and expanding international markets for U.S. grains and their products. The Council has 10 international offices that oversee programs in more than 50 countries. Support for the Council comes from its producer and agribusiness members and the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the U.S. farm bill. 

Chris Markey
Deputy Regional Director, S.E. Asia and Oceania, U.S. Grains Council

Chris serves as the Deputy Regional Director of Southeast Asia & Oceania for the U.S. Grains Council. Markey designs and executes regional coarse grain and ethanol market promotion programs targeting customers  across the region. Prior to the Council, Markey was a senior associate at Vriens & Partners, a Southeast Asia-focused government affairs consulting firm, where he managed government affairs projects and stakeholder relationships for multinational companies in Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia. He also has previous experience as a research manager of a market research and corporate advisory company in Myanmar. Markey holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Texas A&M University. 

Joe Sowers
Vice President for South and S.E. Asia, U.S. Wheat Associates

Based in Singapore, Sowers manages personnel based in Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand with responsibilities developing export markets for U.S. wheat throughout South and Southeast Asia. Previously, he served USW in the headquarters Washington D.C. office and in Mexico City covering markets in Central America and the Caribbean. Sowers had the opportunity to live and work in Japan, Spain, and Manila. Sowers began his career designing econometric models forecasting global grain and oilseed markets with a consulting firm currently known as S&P Global. He holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Virginia Tech. 

Timothy Loh
Regional Director, S.E. Asia and Oceania, U.S. Soybean Export Council

Timothy has been the Regional Director with the U.S. Soybean Export Council Inc. since 2014. In addition to his general management responsibilities, he also supports a team of 35 trade and technical professionals dedicated to the promotion of U.S. Soy for food and feed applications in key destination markets in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Having served as the region’s Director of Marketing for over half of his 21-year career with the U.S. Soy Industry, Timothy continues to provide leadership in the development of marketing strategies and customer experience management.

Timothy started his career in ocean transportation, managing the commercial prospects of a fleet of Panamax vessels with an international shipping firm. He later joined a U.S. based grain company, Continental Grain Company (CGC), gaining operational experience at its regional headquarters in Hong Kong, Geneva, and New York, before moving to the Philippines as CGC’s Country Marketing Manager.

Timothy holds a Masters in Agribusiness from Kansas State University, and a Degree in Finance from Western Michigan University. His focus is in international agribusiness marketing and trade, ocean transportation and supply-chain logistics for agricultural commodities.