Council Recognizes Liu For Five Years Of Service

Wennie Liu still remembers her first day on the job with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), joining the staff of the Council’s office in Beijing, China, in August 2013 as the dairy program manager after working in the Chinese dairy industry for five years. Now, she not only covers that industry’s development, but also helps monitor trade issues within the country.

“The Council has a good reputation in the Chinese livestock industry, so I knew the organization,” Liu said. “I also thought a job must bring some meaning to your life, not just pay the bills.

“I like the challenge and communicating with people. This position also provides a better platform to develop myself professionally and personally.”

The Council recognized Liu for five years of service during the organization’s 16th International Marketing Conference and 59th Annual Membership Meeting earlier this year.

“Wennie has always impressed me with two main things, her attitude and her acumen,” said Tom Sleight, USGC president and chief executive officer. “Her knowledge immediately impresses you as she has such great motivation and drive, coming out of one of the most competitive universities in China to become a nationally respected resource on the development of the Chinese dairy industry – all in a very short period of time.”

When Liu started, the Council organized four to six dairy short course trainings every year at two training centers in China, helping to grow a burgeoning dairy industry. She recalled her first Chinese dairy delegation mission to the United States in 2014. Twelve end-users from large-scale dairy farms visited U.S. dairies, corn farms and ethanol plants.

“It was the first trip to corn farms and plants for most of us and now these users have more confidence in U.S. feed ingredients,” Liu said. “I am so proud of being on staff at the U.S. Grains Council.”

She later transitioned to the livestock manager and now serves as a point person within the office on trade issues. She said she appreciates taking every opportunity to learn more from her job, talking with consultants visiting China, accompanying teams that visit U.S. farming operations, helping solve problems and promoting industry development to encourage more demand for U.S. corn, sorghum and dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS).

“Every time I have visited the Council’s Beijing office, Wennie is always upbeat and exceedingly helpful,” Sleight said. “She is the sort of person that puts a smile on your face with her infectious attitude.

“She is one of those colleagues you often refer to as a ‘doer,’ so important in the overwhelming, at times, world we live in.”