2021 NAMA Annual Meeting Recap
Millers gather to express commitment to industry trends, food safety, and sustainability.
Members of the NAMA 2020-21 Board of Directors and alternates in attendance at the 2021 NAMA Annual Meeting held Oct 7 -10, 2021 at the Boca Beach Club in Boca Raton, FL.
More than 100 milling industry executives, associate members, industry allies, spouses, and guests met Oct. 7-10 at the 2021 North American Millers’ Association’s (NAMA) annual meeting at American Millers’ Association’s (NAMA) annual meeting at the Boca Beach Club hotel in Boca Raton, FL.
On Thursday, Oct. 7, an executive committee member meeting was held in the afternoon, which was followed by an evening welcome reception held at the Dunes Terrace. The Corn Division held an optional dinner for its members at the Family Lawn in the Beach Club.
The annual meeting began officially on Friday morning, Oct. 8, with welcoming remarks and introductions from NAMA Chairman Ford Mennel, president, Mennel Milling Company, Fostoria, OH.
“After two long years apart,” says Mennel, “NAMA’s members were excited to have the opportunity to reconnect at NAMA’s Annual Meeting, which is always a must-attend event for milling executives. NAMA’s dedicated member-leaders continue to work together toward a strong future for both the organization and the milling industry as a whole.”
Friday, Oct. 8 Session
Leading off the Friday, Oct. 8, morning session were:
• Bakery Trends. Robb MacKie, president and CEO, American Bakers Association.
• Cybersecurity in Manufacturing. Brian Johnson, senior vice president-technology services, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, LC.
• Sustainability – Policy and Practice in Wheat. Chandler Goule, CEO, National Association of Wheat Growers.
Afterward, a series of separate meetings were held involving NAMA associate members, as well as members of the Corn Division and Oat Division, Foreign Market Development Committee, and board of directors. Jeff Hole, senior vice president of operations, Miller Milling, was elected to serve on the NAMA Executive Committee for a three-year term.
Friday concluded with an early-evening reception at the Dunes Terrace followed by a dinner and awards presentation held on the Pool Lawn.
Mennel presented the 2021 Honorary Member Award to Tom Kice, CEO, Kice Industries, Inc. The award is given annually to an individual who has “performed conspicuous service for an extended period of time.”
NAMA celebrated other leaders, including outgoing Executive Committee member John Wiebold, vice president-sustainable sourcing, General Mills, and past chairman Robert Harper, president, Hopkinsville Milling Co.
The 2020 Honorary Member Award winner, Bruce Roskens, director of crop sciences, Grain Millers, Inc., also was recognized.
Upcoming NAMA Events 2022 Spring Conference April 9-12 Wild Dunes Resort • Isle of Palms, SC
2022 Annual Meeting Sept. 28-Oct. 3 Royal Palms Hotel • Phoenix, AZ namamillers.org/our-events
Saturday, Oct. 9 Session
NAMA President Jane DeMarchi gave a welcome address to attendees to kick off the second day of general sessions presentations, which included:
• Economic Trends. Scott Colbert, executive vice president and chief economist, Commerce Bank.
• Workforce Panel – Skill Building. Steve Matson, director of operations, Bay State Milling; John Wiebold, General Mills.
• Women in the Milling Industry. Dan Dye, president, Ardent Mills.
• Building Your Bench. Ford Mennel, president, Mennel Milling.
In the afternoon, two optional activities were held for attendees and guests: a golf scramble was at the Harborside Course at The Boca Raton and an intercoastal waterway cruise.
The annual meeting concluded with a closing reception on the Dunes Terrace.
Tucker Scharfenberg, managing editor