Council Staff Celebrate Five-Year Milestone

While each department of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has a different focus, they all work together to fulfill the Council’s mission. This talent is evidenced by three members of the Council’s staff recently recognized for five years of service: Rebecca Kane, Pooja Pokharel and Haksoo Kim.

Rebecca Kane, USGC meetings manager, is a certified meeting planner and digital event strategist who began her work with the Council when she decided to pursue a career in Washington, D.C.

“I was in New York and knew I wanted to live in D.C. and work as an in-house meeting planner,” Kane said. “At that time, the Council was looking to create a position in-house for someone to be focused directly on meetings, and everything just fit into place. It’s a very specific position, and it was exactly what I was looking for.”

Over the years, Kane’s position with the Council has evolved. She was hired to plan and execute the February International Marketing Conference and July Board of Delegates meetings and, over time, the role expanded to include planning events like Export Exchange, the Ethanol Summits and staff conferences. Kane said she enjoys planning each one.

“Our member meetings are one large family gathering where everyone knows each other, and there is always a smile and a laugh to be had,” Kane said. “Then you go to our ethanol events and Export Exchange, which are on a totally different level. You walk around and hear people having conversations in different languages and see flags representing over 50 countries. There are highlights from every meeting we have had, and now that includes virtual meetings and conferences. There is always something to be proud of.”

Like Kane, Pooja Pokharel is based in the Council’s headquarters in Washington D.C. She works as the Council’s manager of program funding, but began her work as a temporary employee, before being hired full-time in May 2015.

“I started as a junior accounting coordinator and assisted the Council’s human resources (HR) director as needed. I did HR-related projects, accounting data entry, coding and admin work for couple of years before I got promoted to my current position,” Pokharel said. “My job has changed over the years as I have more responsibility now. Currently, I am involved in monitoring all the USDA budgets in terms of tracking expenses and projections in the D.C. office as well as all of our overseas offices.”

Managing program funding, Pokharel has worked closely with colleagues in all departments. She enjoys the daily interactions and getting to know all Council staff.

“I do love the people I work with here. I have met some incredible people and have learned so much from them. Most of my team and department has worked here for decades, and they have so much to share, and there is no dull moment for me and my work. Some colleagues here are like my family, and I take it as a blessing,” Pokharel said.

In addition to recognizing two D.C.-based staff members, the Council also recognized Haksoo Kim for five years of service. Kim serves as the Council’s director in South Korea. Working with the Council was appealing to Kim because of the need for grain imports to South Korea.

“I heard about the position with the recommendation of former Director Mr. Min and started working as an assistant director of the Council’s Korea office in July 2015,” Kim said. “Grain is an essential and important resource for human survival, but Korea relies on imports from the United States and other countries for over 98 percent of its major grains, excluding rice. So, the role of the Council to bridge U.S. producers and foreign consumers in the feed grain and food supply system was very attractive to me.”

During his time with the Council, Kim said he was most proud of the work accomplished in Korea to expand distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) imports by establishing relationships.

“Since I joined USGC, I have focused on expanding the demand of U.S. DDGS, and as a result, exports have increased every year, to 1.22 MMT in 2019/2020, which is twice the market growth compared to 620 TMT in 2014/2015,” Kim said.

“Through close communication with buyers and end users, efforts to overcome obstacles and provide programs and information they want have contributed to achieving the results. And the next major goal is to create 300 million gallons of new fuel ethanol demand for the introduction of fuel ethanol renewable fuel standard in Korea by 2025.”

Please join us in celebrating these three Council staff members as they each mark five years of developing markets, enabling trade and improving lives!

See USGC staff and members recognized for their service.