Atkins, USGC Vice President And COO, To Leave Council

After spending the majority of her career at the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Kimberly Atkins, vice president and chief operating officer since 2015, will be leaving the Council on April 13. She will remain in the agricultural space, serving as vice president, public affairs and policy at Laura Wood Peterson Consulting, a firm focused on sustainability issues and agricultural policy.

“We are very sad to see Kim leave the organization and are eternally grateful for the 16 years she has dedicated to working on behalf of the U.S. producer and agribusiness sector,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGC president and CEO.

“I want to personally thank Kim for dedicating nearly her entire career to the U.S. Grains Council. A tenure of 16 years is very uncommon in this day and age, and we are fortunate to have had Kim work as a steady pillar of this organization. She started as a coordinator in 2005 and rose to the highest ranks of the organization by demonstrating hard work, integrity, determination and trustworthiness throughout her time at the Council.”

Atkins leaves the organization with a long list of achievements, one of the most memorable including discussing renewable fuels possibilities with the Vice President of Ecuador in 2019 and again in 2020.

“The 2019 visit was a really fascinating trip, but more importantly it felt very impactful. The Council’s work has a positive impact not only on our members but also on the people we are working with around the world. It is what makes working for the Council so rewarding – to know you are making a difference,” Atkins said.

Other successes from her time with the Council include creating and implementing the Excellence in Execution checklist for the global programs department; coordinating and executing multiple staff conferences; acting as CEO for a period of time in 2017; taking leadership in the current office expansion project; and most recently being recognized for her years of service at the 19th International Marketing Conference and 62nd Annual Membership Meeting.

“The Council has such a wonderful and powerful mission,” Atkins said. “It has been my true honor to serve our members for 16 years.”

“I love how the Council’s mission is truly focused on improving lives of people both in the U.S. and overseas. Coming from a farming community myself, it has been inspiring to see the benefit of the Council’s work first-hand.”

After graduating from the University of Montana with a degree in political science and communications, Atkins’ Council career began in 2005 as a communications coordinator. She quickly matriculated through the ranks, serving as the executive assistant and then was promoted to manager of international operations-Asia. In 2011, she left the Council to work for World Perspectives Inc. as a consulting projects manager. Atkins returned to the Council in 2012, serving as the director of global programs before being promoted to her current position in 2015.

“I have met some of the most talented, creative and professional people in the world through my work with USGC,” Atkins said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity.”