Prairie Grains Jan.-Feb. 98 - NAWG Changing Structure

Issue 11
Jan./Feb. 1998
NAWG Changing Structure,
Searching for New CEO

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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) has unveiled a restructuring plan that will create a new CEO position to serve the top post in Washington, D.C. The NAWG's move is the result of a new direction decided upon by the elected leadership.
"Wheat farmers felt an important need to direct more emphasis toward partnerships with industry. . . to implement the long-range planning process," says NAWG President Phil McLain, a North Carolina wheat grower. "This new structure will allow us to maintain our presence on Capitol Hill, yet at the same time afford us greater opportunities to work more closely with our members and our partners in industry." That would include such partners as grain companies, exporters, millers, bakers, chemical companies, equipment manufacturers, lenders, transportation, and others.
The new structure will close the executive vice president position, which had been filled by Carl Schwensen. Schwensen has served the NAWG for 27 years, the last 17 as executive vice president. During his tenure, Schwensen led the NAWG's legislative efforts in domestic farm policy, international trade policy, transportation, energy and marketing, all the while cultivating a good reputation for the NAWG among members of Congress.
However, NAWG leaders agreed that as agriculture in general is changing in light of the 21st century and Freedom to Farm, so too must the NAWG change.
"We're moving towards an alliance with universities and private companies for a unified wheat industry," said Tim Dufault, a Crookston, Minn., president of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers. "We are moving from getting our questions answered in Washington to getting questions answered within the ag industry."
A search committee has been formed, with the goal of finding a permanent CEO before NAWG's Summer Conference next August. Margie Williams, former Senior Vice President, has been appointed Interim CEO. Williams has been with the NAWG for 17 years as a senior lobbyist focusing on environmental issues.
"I am excited about this change and the opportunities it will present for the wheat industry to begin unifying itself. The new CEO will lead us forward with our new partnerships and the industry will begin to see the long-range planning process come to fruition," says McLain.

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine January 1998

Issue 11 Jan./Feb. 1998	NAWG Changing Structure, Searching for New CEO

Library Home E-Mail Back Prairie Grains is the official publication of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Wheat, Inc., and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association.	The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) has unveiled a restructuring plan that will create a new CEO position to serve the top post in Washington, D.C. The NAWG's move is the result of a new direction decided upon by the elected leadership. "Wheat farmers felt an important need to direct more emphasis toward partnerships with industry. . . to implement the long-range planning process," says NAWG President Phil McLain, a North Carolina wheat grower. "This new structure will allow us to maintain our presence on Capitol Hill, yet at the same time afford us greater opportunities to work more closely with our members and our partners in industry." That would include such partners as grain companies, exporters, millers, bakers, chemical companies, equipment manufacturers, lenders, transportation, and others. The new structure will close the executive vice president position, which had been filled by Carl Schwensen. Schwensen has served the NAWG for 27 years, the last 17 as executive vice president. During his tenure, Schwensen led the NAWG's legislative efforts in domestic farm policy, international trade policy, transportation, energy and marketing, all the while cultivating a good reputation for the NAWG among members of Congress. However, NAWG leaders agreed that as agriculture in general is changing in light of the 21st century and Freedom to Farm, so too must the NAWG change. "We're moving towards an alliance with universities and private companies for a unified wheat industry," said Tim Dufault, a Crookston, Minn., president of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers. "We are moving from getting our questions answered in Washington to getting questions answered within the ag industry." A search committee has been formed, with the goal of finding a permanent CEO before NAWG's Summer Conference next August. Margie Williams, former Senior Vice President, has been appointed Interim CEO. Williams has been with the NAWG for 17 years as a senior lobbyist focusing on environmental issues. "I am excited about this change and the opportunities it will present for the wheat industry to begin unifying itself. The new CEO will lead us forward with our new partnerships and the industry will begin to see the long-range planning process come to fruition," says McLain.
Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine January 1998

NAWG Changing Structure, Searching for New CEO

NAWG Changing Structure,
Searching for New CEO