ADM, Cargill announce leadership shifts

ADM has appointed a number of senior executives in its Commercial and Production Group, which is responsible for the firm's origination, merchandising, processing and marketing functions. Cargill named its recently appointed CEO as chairman of the firm. According to ADM's Commercial and Production executive vice president, John Rice, the firm's appointments "advance our long-term and incremental business goals",​ and will help ensure the company's continued success. ​Effective immediately, the seven new appointments include leadership positions in ADM's Refined Oils Operations, ADM Milling, Packaged Oils and European Oilseeds. The company named John Guymon vice president of its Refined Oils Operations. Guymon, who has been working for ADM since 1985, will have global responsibility for the firm's refinery and biodiesel operations. Prior to this appointment, his most recent post was operations manager in Packaged Oils. Mark Kolkhorst has been named president of ADM Milling, and will be responsible for all commercial aspects of the company's Milling business. During his 21 years with the company, Kolkhorst has held various management positions in grain merchandising, including vice president of both ADM/Growmark and Tabor Grain, vice president of sales for the Specialty Feed Ingredients division, and president of Specialty Feed Ingredients. The company's new general manager for Packaged Oils is Kevin Swanson, who joined the firm in 1985 and who will now head up ADM's global Packed Oils operations. Joe Taets has been named managing director, European Oilseeds, and will manage all commercial aspects of European Oilseed Processing as well as serve as administrative head of ADM Europe. After joining the company in 1988, he most recently held the position of president of European Oilseed Processing. Other new appointments include: Gary Towne as general manager of ADM's Global Risk and Ethanol; Kris Lutt as general manager of the firm's Specialty Feed Ingredients; and Scott Fredericksen as president, Rail Container and Supply Chain Transportation. Competitor Cargill also yesterday announced the election of chief executive officer and president Greg Page as chairman of the company's board of directors. Page succeeds former president and CEO Warren Staley, who retained his role as chairman until yesterday, following his retirement. Page was previously president and chief operating officer since June 2000. He was elected to the Cargill board of directors in August 2000. According to Staley, who has reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 for Cargill executives, his successor's "extensive global travels and leadership experience in and outside of the United States have given him deep insight into all of our businesses." ​ Page, who joined the firm in 1974 as a trainee, has held a number of positions in the company's US animal nutrition business before transferring to Singapore in 1985 to lead its animal nutrition operations in Asia. In 1989, he moved to Thailand to build Cargill's poultry processing business in that country. He returned to the US in 1992, where he assumed leadership of Cargill's North American and Australian beef and pork operations in 1995. In 1998, Page was named corporate vice president and sector president, with responsibilities for the company's financial markets and beef and pork groups. He was elected executive vice president of Cargill in 1999.