Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson 

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines 

Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson was nominated by President Biden on February 4, 2022, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines. She was confirmed by the Senate on May 5, 2022. Ambassador Carlson is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor. 

She previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prior to her assignment to Argentina, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’affaires in New Delhi, India, and held the position of Principal Deputy Executive Secretary for the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C. A Foreign Service officer since 1985, she has served at U.S. Diplomatic Missions in China (twice), Ukraine, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic. Her domestic assignments include Director of the Secretary’s Executive Secretariat Staff and Deputy Director of Korean Affairs. 

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ambassador Carlson received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and International Studies from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She holds Master’s Degrees from Georgetown University (International Relations) and the National War College (National Security Studies). She is married to retired Foreign Service officer Aubrey Carlson, and they have two daughters. 

Bill Bayliss
Farmer and United Soybean Board Director

Bill Bayliss is a first-generation farmer from West Mansfield, Ohio. He helps his daughter and son-in-law farm in west central Ohio on the eastern edge of the corn belt. They raise soybeans, corn and a little hay and wheat. Bill and his family are primarily no-till and minimum till, utilizing cover crops when they can.

Bill views public perception, trade avenues and supply levels as three challenges facing the soybean industry — and sees opportunity in providing a stable supply for renewable products made with U.S. soy. He is passionate about nurturing the strong relationship between soybean producers and their livestock, poultry and aquaculture customers. Bill has facilitated this work through his involvement with the Soy Excellence Council, the U.S. Soybean Export Council, in addition to the United Soybean Board.

Bill is involved with the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, Farm Bureau and the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio Soy Council, as well as the Lions Club. He has also served as a past chair of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance.
In the future, he plans to pass his farm on to his daughter, Jana, and her husband, David, and works with them to prepare for the future of agriculture. This is Bill’s fifth year serving as a farmer-leader on the United Soybean Board. He is a member of the Communication and Education Committee, and serves on the Supply Action Team in the Infrastructure and Connectivity Priority Area.

USB Appointments:
•    Soy Aquaculture Alliance — 2022, 2023
•    Soy Aquaculture Alliance — Alternate — 2021

Tarik Eluri
Sustainability Manager, U.S Soybean Export Council

Tarik Eluri is the Sustainability Manager at the U.S. Soybean Export Council. With more than 10 years of experience in agriculture working at the intersection of research, technology, and sustainability; he now helps drive the U.S. soybean industry toward a more profitable and sustainable future through market-based solutions.

Todd Hanten
Farmer and United Soybean Board Director

Todd Hanten grows soybeans, corn and wheat on his farm in Goodwin, South Dakota. He also raises cattle. Todd was a dairy farmer until 2012 and now has a feedlot for beef cattle. One of his goals for his operation is to have one of his children return to the farm. This is his fourth year serving as a farmer- leader on the United Soybean Board. He is a member of the Audit and Evaluation Committee, the Communication and Education Committee, and serves on the Demand Action Team in the Health and Nutrition Priority Area.

He is the past president of the South Dakota Holstein Association and Coteau Hills Cattlemen’s Association, as well as the current treasurer for the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. He is also involved with the South Dakota Cattlemen’s State Board, Watertown Winter Farm Show, South Dakota Farm Bureau and Lake Area Vocational School Advisory Board.

Todd is interested in increasing exports of soybeans, soybean meal and meat, as well as increasing exports of biodiesel.

USB Appointment:
●    Animal Nutrition Working Group – 2021, 2023

* After completing the remaining term of a South Dakota director in 2020, Todd was appointed to the board for his first term in December 2020.

Emily French
Founder, Global Ag Protein

Emily French has been a part of the world’s agriculture revolution for nearly 29 years as a trader, analyst, broker and presently the founder of Global Ag Protein (2009 to present). Her clients are non-U.S. commercial producers and end users, hedge funds, private traders, U.S. producer associations and commodity exchanges with a sole focus on the soy complex and grains analysis, price risk management and investment strategies.

Ms. French grew up on a farm in north Idaho before attending Washington State University where she earned her degree in Agricultural Business-Economics and started her trading career with Cargill in 1996. Along the way, she has worked for the U.S. Grains Council and World Perspectives – both in Washington, DC – before transitioning to investment banking with National Australia Bank and Macquarie Bank Limited in both New York and Sydney, Australia. When not on an airplane, Emily splits her time between Washington, DC and Sandpoint, Idaho.

Gordon Denny
General Manager, Gordon Denny LLC

Gordon Denny is the General Manager of Gordon Denny, LLC, a consulting corporation specializing in the production, marketing and processing aspects of the soybean and grain industries. Gordon’s background is truly unique due to the broad-based experiences of his 38 year career in the soybean processing and grain industries.

Raised in the restaurant and farming business in rural Indiana, his agricultural roots run deep. After graduating from DePauw University, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Major. These unique learning experiences provided the background for the rare opportunity of working half his career in the trading and commercial management side of the soy industry, combined with the other half of his career in the plant management / industrial side of the soybean processing business. His previous experiences have allowed him to interact with seed / fertilizer companies, farmers, truckers, railroads, exporters, futures traders, engineers, processors, livestock growers, and various trade organizations on a detailed and highly involved level. Gordon has completed executive level management training in agricultural economics and international management at Purdue University, Washington University, and INSEAD in France. He has been an active participant with the National Oilseed Processors Association, the National Grain and Feed Association, and the United Soybean Board.

Florentino Lopez
Principle, Creando Mañana, LLC

Florentino Lopez is an independent agricultural consultant with Creando Mañana Agricultural Consulting. 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 non-traditional approaches that result in substantial and meaningful change.

Florentino assists in promoting sorghum and other agricultural products both domestically and internationally by facilitating direct product sales, building inter-company relationships, and sharing technical information. Florentino also works to develop new companies and strategies to help the agricultural supply chain.

Before this 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 domestically and internationally.

Dan Keitzer
Associate Director, Iowa Corn Growers Association , District 9

Dan Keitzer, from Des Moines County, has been farming for 38 years. With his son, they raise both corn and soybeans as well as custom feed hogs. They are proud to utilize the no-till practice on their row-crop operation and are continuously building structures to minimize soil erosion on their farm. He has also partnered with a major seed company to do on-farm seed development research for over 30 years now.

Currently Dan serves on the Iowa Corn Growers Association Director representing District 9 and as Chair of the Industrial Usage & U.S. Production Committee.

He also serves on the Southeast Iowa Research Farm Board. He has been a member of the County Extension Committee, 4-H and Youth Committee and treasurer of the Des Moines County Fair. He has also served on the county Pork Producers Board in many leadership roles. Keitzer is very active in his local church and has served as the treasure for 29 years. He has also served as the chairman for the local Building Committee for several building renovation projects.

Dan and his wife Jan, have two kids. Both Kendra and Keaton are involved in agriculture.

Patrick Russell
President & Co-Owner, Russell Marine Group U.S.A.

In 2025, Patrick and his twin brother, Tom,  will be celebrating 50 years 
with RMG, a family-owned grain export business connecting grain and 
grain by-products originating in the U.S to the global grain markets throughout 
the world.

Witnessing the ebb and flow of the many changes within the world grain 
business over the past 5 decades has offered RMG a unique insight of experiences
and the opportunity to grow from a few employees to the largest grain inspection 
and grain related service companies within the U.S.

RMG is service provider to the agricultural industry. Services include inspection
and sampling of grain and grain by-products, laboratory analysis, weight assay, 
logistics support and export documentation.

Jeff Zortman
United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Director, Fowler, KS

Zortman Farms consists of 6,000 acres divided between dryland and limited irrigation where sorghum plays the role of a tough, water-conserving crop. These traits allow sorghum to return profit to their bottom despite adverse weather conditions. Off the farm, Jeff is developing and marketing a software called iTrack. Jeff and his family call Fowler, Kansas, home and he enjoys volunteering at Fowler Friends Church as treasurer, technology and sound director, and Bible quiz coach.

Joe Bippert
U.S. Wheat Association, Assistant Regional Director, South and Southeast Asia

Joe Bippert joined US Wheat Associates as the Assistant Regional Director for South and Southeast Asia in November 2021. Bippert grew up on a family timber farm near Olympia, Wash. He began his career in international trade and marketing with the Washington State Department of Agriculture where he helped producer groups develop and implement global marketing strategies. Bippert also worked for the Washington Grain Commission where he managed their Latin American marketing strategy and monitored policy issues impacting trade and transportation. During his career, Bippert participated on the board of directors for Washington State’s potato and tree fruit checkoff programs, was a member of a legislative trade policy advisory committee and served as co-chair for US Wheat Associates’ Transportation Work Group.

Daryl Kryst
StoneX, Vice President, Soft and Agricultural Commodities Asia

Daryl Kryst is Vice President, Soft and Agricultural Commodities Asia at StoneX. With over 10 years of trading, risk management, and strategic advisory experience, he is passionate about helping clients get the best out of the market.

Shriram Sivaramakrishnan 
S&P Global Commodity Insights, Associate Director, Principal Dry Bulk Shipping Research Analyst 

Shriram Sivaramakrishnan is the Associate Director, Principal Dry Bulk Shipping Research Analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights and is based out of Singapore. Prior to his current role in Freight Analytics, he was Managing Editor for the Asia Pacific Dry Bulk markets looking into the spot dry bulk freight assessments. He has been with S&P Global Commodity Insights for eleven years. Shriram also comes with a background in trading shipping derivatives with a dry bulk shipping company

John Hagios
Andersons Trade Group USA, Vice President Feed Ingredients 

John's current focus with The Andersons is to increase participation in the international supply chain as a value added partner.  His primary focus is with bulk container and vessel shipments of USA feed ingredients sourced from The Andersons assets as well as third party trade.  He also acts as a liaison to facilitate trade relationships between international customers with the proper Andersons international trade manager for the respective product.  John has 17 years of feed ingredient experience, initially with Lansing Trade Group,  trading DDGS throughout the United States, to becoming Director of International Containers, and Vice President of Feed Ingredients.  In 2019 The Andersons completed their acquisition of Lansing Trade Group and John continued as Vice President of Feed Products creating synergies and efficiencies between The Andersons ethanol assets and third party trading.  This came at an opportune time while The Andersons was introducing their novel protein products including Corn Fermented Protein to domestic and international markets.  John has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont and previously worked at IBM in their microelectronics division.

Andrew Metzger
Ag Processing Inc. USA, Senior Merchandiser 

Andrew Metzger is a Senior Merchandiser at AGP, the world’s largest cooperative farmer owned soybean crusher, where he has worked for 7 years. After graduating from Morningside University, Andrew worked at the Sgt Bluff, IA location buying soybeans and selling soybean meal. In his current role, Andrew focuses on trading soybean meal via rail into the Western U.S., Mexico and through the Port of Grays Harbor into Southeast Asia. Andrew is also working to expand exports via AGP’s new facility at Grays Harbor T4 terminal coming online in 2026. 

Angel Harris
Bunge Singapore, Senior Marketing Manager

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. 

Ashish Kapahi
CEO, ASEAN Economic Forum; Founder and Executive Director GATES, 
Singapore

Ashish leads the organisation in participating in advocacy discussions that enhance trade and investment, building partnerships with governments and businesses, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. He is responsible for building and executing initiatives, programs and events that facilitate dialogue on economic issues, while also promoting research and analysis to inform stakeholders.

Prior to joining AEF, Ashish founded GATES APAC Pte Ltd, Asia's largest independent Technology channel platform. He is an hands-on strategist, adept at developing and managing large cross-functional teams to achieve organizational objectives. His global experience includes starting and managing greenfield operations across Asia, ANZ, and Western Europe, transforming them into sustainable profit centres. Beyond the corporate achievements, he is an advocate for public-private partnerships and have played a pivotal role in initiating and leading various PPP and intergovernmental projects, both regionally and globally. With a passion for creating value in the tech industry he continues to be a driving force in shaping the future of the technology channel ecosystem.

Andrew Brandt
U.S. Grains Council, USA, Director of Trade Policy

Andrew Brandt serves as the director of trade policy for the U.S. Grains Council, 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).

In this capacity, Brandt works with U.S. and foreign government officials as well as members and coalition partners to address policy issues related to the export of U.S. feed grains and their co-products.

Prior to the Council, Brandt worked for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, where he served as an international trade policy advisor, counseling the Committee on international trade policy related to agriculture, biotech, energy and other matters.

Brandt also previously served as legislative assistant to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), offering guidance on agriculture, energy, international trade, banking and environmental policy.

Before working for Sen. Grassley, Brandt worked as legislative director for U.S. Representative Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas), as press assistant for U.S. Sen. Jim Talent (R-Missouri) and in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA), where he helped implement provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill.

Brandt holds an MBA from the University of Virginia and a degree in agribusiness management from the University of Missouri.

Ronnie Tan
U.S. Grains Council, Regional Aquaculture Consultant

Ronnie is the regional aquaculture consultant with the US Grains Council. Concurrently, he serves on the advisory board of Calysta, USA and is an advisor to BASF, Germany. He also acts as a mentor at Hatch – an aquaculture startup accelerator.  Ronnie recently stepped down as Vice-President at Blue Archipelago – the largest integrated shrimp enterprise in Malaysia, responsible for downstream operations including sales & marketing, branding and corporate strategy. He was Executive Director and board member at Regal Springs Group – the largest tilapia integrator in the world, responsible for global feed supply and held a supervisory role of the Indonesia legal entity. He co-led the sale of the company. He started his career building the aquaculture feed division in the Gold Coin Group – a major feed company in Asia. 

Ronnie, who is Malaysian, read Environmental Biology at King’s College, University of London and obtained his MSc. in Aquaculture from University of Stirling.

Rowena Awa Ngumbang
U.S. Grains Council, Regional Marketing Manager

Rowena brings over a decade of diverse experience in agricultural trade marketing and strategic communications. Most recently, she served as the Agricultural Marketing Specialist at the USDA Foreign Agricultural Services in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this capacity, she managed market promotion activities, resolved market access issues, conducted briefings to support U.S. agricultural exports with a focus in consumer-oriented products to Malaysia. Additionally, she conducted market research, providing valuable market intelligence to U.S. exporters. 

Prior to USDA, Rowena was the Marketing & Communication Manager at UOA Hospitality Sdn. Bhd., where she led strategic public relations and marketing efforts, including the successful expansion and rebranding of Connexion@Nexus to Connexion Conference & Event Centre (CCEC). Earlier, as a Business Development Manager at Sarawak Convention Bureau and Sales Manager at Wildlife Expeditions Sdn. Bhd. focus in sales lead generation, event management, and strategic bid proposals that include lobbying and creating alliance as part of a winning bid in her portfolio. 

She holds an Executive MBA and a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (Public Relations) from Universiti Teknology MARA. She is also an affiliate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM, United Kingdom), continuing to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices

Dr. Budi Tangendjaja
U.S. Grains Council, Regional Technical Consultant

Dr Budi, a well-known animal nutritionist and feedmill expert in Indonesia, currently holds a post as Technical Consultant in South East Asia based in Indonesia. Dr Budi received his undergraduate training in Agriculture from Bogor Agricultural University (1976) and followed by Magister Sains (1978) from the same University. He then spent several years to obtain Master of Applied Science (1980) and PhD (1983) from University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He has conducted post-doctoral work in Animal Nutrition at the University of Arkansas in the USA (1986). He had worked as Research Scientist for Research Institute for Animal Production, Ciawi Bogor, Indonesia for >30 years and received consulting job with ASA IM (15 years) before joining US Grains Council for 17 years to cover technical services in South East Asia. Dr Budi has many research interests including raw material quality control, development of alternative ingredients, feed additives, processing of animal feed, animal nutrition and feedmill management. In the last two decades he has traveled extensively to several countries in South East Asia, South Asia and other countries to deliver talks and teach in seminars and workshop

Edwin Mapanao
Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc., Immediate Past President

Edwin Cabias Mapanao is the Assistant Vice President of Univet Nutritional and Animal Healthcare Company (UNAHCO) for External Corporate Affairs and currently the Immediate Past President of the Philippine Association of Feedmillers Inc. (PAFMI). . Prior to his post, he has served in various strategic marketing leadership roles in Unahco, Philippine Marketing Association (PMA), Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), Advertising Standard Council (ASC), and Marketing Institute of the Philippines (MIP). 

Edwin Mapanao, a.k.a. ECM,  is a passionate technocrat and strategic brand builder, completing his F.E. Marcos scholarship in B.S. Fisheries Major in Aquaculture from the University of the Philippines cum laude and Masters in Business Administration from Ateneo de Manila University. He also completed his Unilab-Harvard Leadership Programme. He is the Father of Thunderbird, the brand that nurtures the traditional cultural heritage of sabong. He is part of the strategic team of Univet that built the company from a minor player to a strong leading powerhouse enterprise in the Philippine Agribusiness. He possessed exemplary skills in business development, brand management, distribution selling, and strategic planning in the field of Agribusiness and consumer goods. He had international marketing stints in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka under Hanaqua International, a Taiwan based-aquaculture company. They pioneered P. Monodon aquaculture in India

ECM’s marketing achievements continue, as he is a  Certified Professional Marketer in Asia and bagged the highest marketing excellence award in the Philippines given by the prestigious Philippine Marketing Association, 2008 Agora Awardee for Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Management (2008 Marketing Man of the Year).  He is one of the founding members of the Marketing Institute of the Philippines. He is an Associate Professor at the De La Salle University RVR COB Graduate School teaching Marketing Strategy and Practice and Strategic Planning.

Finally, ECM is an advocate of Sustainability in Agribusiness

Dr Basilisa Reas
USSEC Southeast Asia, Technical Director – Meal and Animal Protein

Dr Basilisa P. Reas (Neneth) is a graduate of Doctor of Veterinary Science and Medicine at Central Luzon State University, Philippines, and Master of Veterinary Science Major in Monogastric Nutrition from the University of Queensland in Australia. She completed International Courses on Pig Husbandry and Feed Technology at Barneveld College, the Netherlands. She also received short course diploma on Quality Assurance from Khon Kaen University, Thailand and completed an Extrusion Short Course from Texas A&M university in the U.S. She worked in commercial swine farms for four years before joining the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry as Training Specialist for eight years. Dr Reas has been with American Soybean Association/USSEC since 1998 and currently holds the position of Regional Technical Director for SEA & Oceania. She is also a member of the USSEC Global Research Committee (GRC) who is task to propose and review research proposals related to soybean and soy products. Some of her advocacies include evaluation and quantification of the greenhouse gas emissions of major feed ingredients in poultry and swine feeds and growth modeling system for modern animal genetics for more efficient, profitable and sustainable animal production. 
Dr Reas is a two-term President of the Philippine Society of Animal Nutritionists and the Immediate Past President of the Philippine College of Veterinary Feed Practice and currently the treasurer of the Philippine College of Poultry. Neneth receives a number of awards from the industry that include; Outstanding Veterinarian in Animal Nutrition in 1999, and most recently, as Outstanding Veterinarian in Agribusiness in February 2025 by the PVMA and by PHILSAN in 2019. With her outstanding dedication, commitment and exemplary performance, Neneth was awarded the annual USSEC Core Values award in March 2022

Lukas Manomaitis
USSEC Southeast Asia, Technical Director – Aquaculture

Lukas Manomaitis is the Managing Director of Seafood Consulting Associates and has worked professionally in the aquaculture industry since 1995. His primary client is the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) where he has worked for over 20 years to promote the use of U.S. Soy products in aquaculture internationally. This includes working on the expansion of the USSEC Aquaculture Program from China to a global program in 2002, the expansion of the In-Pond Raceway System (IPRS) technology from China to a global program starting in 2015 and helping to conceptualize and create the International Aquaculture Feed Formulation Database (IAFFD). He helped update the USSEC IPRS Manual in 2022 to better clarify the principles of IPRS and describe the basic standard for the technology. He currently works with USSEC as the Technical Director - Aquaculture (Southeast Asia & Oceania) and leads a multinational team regionally, as well as helping the USSEC Global Program internationally.

 

He is based in Thailand and travels often in the Southeast Asian region and internationally. He served as an officer in the World Aquaculture Society (as the Asia-Pacific Chapter President) and is on the Global Seafood Alliance’s Standards Oversight Committee. He works closely with the global aquaculture industry to improve approaches across the aquaculture production chain. He holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Auburn University.

Caleb Wurth
Regional Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania, U.S. Grains Council

Caleb Wurth 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. corn, barley, sorghum and related products including ethanol. In this capacity, Wurth manages a regional team that 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.

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.