Heidi Bringenberg
Heidi Bringenberg serves as the country director in Mexico for the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products worldwide. In this capacity, Bringenberg works plans, coordinates, and executes the Council’s programs in Mexico, including, but not limited to, marketing, trade servicing and government relations program.
Bringenberg joined the Council in 2012 as the international operations coordinator before being promoted to manager of global programs just a year later. In 2016, she moved on to become the assistant director in the USGC Mexico office and was promoted further to become the country director in 2022. Prior to the Council, Bringenberg interned for the cultural office of the Embassy of Spain as the cultural services intern. In this capacity, Bringenberg translated documents, planned Spanish cultural appreciation events in DC, and assisted in the embassy’s outreach strategy.
Bringenberg holds a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and minor in Spanish from the George Washington University.
Reece H. Cannady
Reece H. Cannady serves as the regional director for South Asia for the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products worldwide.
In this capacity, he is responsible for evaluating, planning, coordinating, implementing and managing the Council’s market development programs in India and the South Asia region.
Cannady previously served as the assistant director for Europe and the Middle East at the Council, in which he directed regional market development activity throughout the region. Prior to that, he acted as manager of global trade for the Council from 2018 to 2022, spending time in both the Washington, D.C., headquarters and the Tunis regional office, interacting with various global markets for U.S. coarse grains and co-products. Before his work at the Council, Cannady spent time in Amarillo, TX, working for Attebury Grain, LLC as a grain trader, selling corn, sorghum and wheat to domestic and foreign animal feeders and millers.
He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in economics with a dual concentration in finance and management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
Ken Eriksen
Ken Eriksen has a distinguished career directing efforts in client advisory and development, risk management, consulting, and events. As the founder of Polaris, Eriksen directs and leads the activities of Polaris. He was formerly a Strategic Advisor in the Industry Executive Advisory group, the head of the S&P Global Commodity Insights Client Advisory and Development group, and Agri Supply Chain where he was a Senior Vice President. Since he joined S&P Global in 2001 (and through its successor companies including Spark Companies, Inc., Informa Economics and IHS Markit), Eriksen led the company’s Transportation, Industrials and Energy Services group and was a co-leader of the Consulting group.
Eriksen regularly speaks on commodity markets and flows, supply chain, transportation and infrastructure issues and developments, and is an expert witness in transportation, logistics and supply chain matters. Prior to joining S&P Global, Eriksen worked for USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service as an agricultural statistician. In that capacity, he conducted national surveys and set national estimates in agriculture. Also, while at USDA, he worked for the Agricultural Marketing Service on its transportation and marketing program, conducting research and analysis on domestic and international transportation issues. He also worked as an international longshoreman for the Pacific Maritime Association in Tacoma, Washington.
He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agribusiness and agricultural economics from Washington State University. While working on his master’s degree there, Eriksen was a transportation economist for the Department of Agricultural Economics, performing economic transportation data analysis and modeling.
Dan Hunter
Dan Hunter serves as Assistant Commissioner for the Texas Department of Agriculture. He is the top advisor on the critical issues of the economy, trade, and water. He directs all external relations and Communications for the Department. He oversees matters on U.S. policy and the important role it plays in agriculture and the Texas economy. He also provides direct oversight on programs involving rural affairs, including rural health care and marketing. Hunter directs the International Marketing Programs for Texas Agriculture.
He currently serves on the Board of the Texas Wine Advisory Committee and the Texas Olive Oil Advisory Board. He is a member of the Texas Agriculture Finance Authority. He also serves on the Texas FFA Foundation Board of Directors and the Ag Workers Insurance Advisory Board. Hunter has served on numerous international trade, commodity, policy advisory committees.
Hunter has an extensive background in agriculture, trade, research, water, and policy development. Prior to his current position he served as Executive Director of the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) and an adjunct professor at Tarleton State University.
Prior to joining the Institute, he was the Executive Officer of the Southwestern Peanut Growers’ Association. Earlier in his professional career he served as the Government Relations Representative for the National Cotton Council association in Washington, DC. He also worked as a primary legislative staff member for former Congressmen Larry Combest and Fred Grandy.
Hunter received degrees from Texas Tech University, where he was recently honored as Outstanding Alumnus, Tarleton State University, and Western Texas College. He has written numerous articles for several publications, and provided testimony for legislative and regulatory committees. Additionally, he has given presentations around the world including the United Nations Foreign Agriculture Organization in Rome. Hunter has conducted business as an official U.S. and Texas Representative, and for private companies on every continent except Antarctica.
Ryan LeGrand
Ryan LeGrand serves as the President and CEO for the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including ethanol and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).
LeGrand joined the Council in 2015 as the assistant director and then director of the Council’s Mexico office where he identified and addressed all relevant trade, technical and policy-related factors relevant to building and maintaining the market for U.S. grains and co-products in Mexico. Before joining the Council, LeGrand worked for Gavilon as the director of ingredients, located in Guadalajara, Mexico. In this capacity, he managed the company’s feed ingredients trading, import and distribution throughout Mexico. LeGrand also served as the director of exports for Hawkeye Gold, LLC where he exported DDGS to Latin America and Asia, and he began his career as an export merchandiser with Garvey International. LeGrand currently serves as the Vice Chairman of USDA’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and a member of USTR’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN).
LeGrand earned a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University in international business.
Wendy Osborn
Wendy Osborn has dedicated her life and career to agriculture. She grew up on a swine and row crop farm in central Ohio, where she gained a firsthand understanding of farming and rural life. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from The Ohio State University, majoring in animal sciences with a minor in agribusiness and applied economics. While at Ohio State, Wendy participated in the university’s Livestock and Meats Judging teams, building her knowledge of livestock and meat evaluation.
She later pursued a Master of Business Administration from Ohio University, blending her agricultural background with a focus on business. Wendy spent 20 years in agricultural lending with Farm Credit Mid-America, where she worked in various leadership roles, including serving on the senior leadership team and leading their agribusiness division.
Now serving as the Director of Market Development for Ohio Corn & Wheat, Wendy works to expand international trade, grow domestic markets, and explore new uses for corn. She also provides economic insights to support Ohio corn and wheat farmers.
Wendy and her family live in southern Ohio, where her husband and three sons raise row crops and beef cattle. Her experiences as a farmer, business leader, and advocate for agriculture have shaped her commitment to supporting farmers and rural communities.
Jennie Schmidt
Jennie Schmidt is part of Schmidt Farms Inc in Sudlersville, Maryland. Together with her brother-in-law, she manages a 3rd generation family farm growing grains, vegetables, and wine grapes on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. When she’s not on a tractor, Jennie is a state and national agriculture leader having served as the first female board member and first female president of the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board.
Jennie is an At Large Director on the U.S. Grains Council, serves of the board of the Sustainable Corn Export Board, is past-chair of the Middle East/Africa/South Asia trade advisory team. She is a national and international speaker telling the story food and farming. She is passionate about connecting people with food and farming, emphasizing the importance of global food access and the importance of sustainability in our food supply.
Jennie whose first career was as a Registered Dietitian, holds a BS in Human Nutrition and International Agriculture from UMASS and an MS degree from the University of Delaware in Human Nutrition with a focus on Food and Agricultural Biotechnology. Jennie was the 2021 recipient of the Farm Journal Women in Agriculture Trailblazer award.
Ramy Taieb
Ramy H. Taieb serves as the Middle East, Africa and Europe regional director of the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including ethanol and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).
In this capacity, Taieb directs regional market development activity throughout the region, based in the Tunis, Tunisia, office.
Prior to the Council, Taieb served as the commodity purchasing manager for Poulina Group Holding, Tunisia’s largest grain importer and poultry company, for 18 years, working with the company in total for more than two decades. In that position, he participated in numerous Council marketing programs and gained familiarity with Council operations as well as global grain markets.
Taieb holds a Master of Business Administration from the Mediterranean School of Business – South Mediterranean University in Tunisia and a diploma in advanced studies in international trade and finance from Paris IX Dauphine University in France.
Marri Tejada
Marri Tejada holds the position of Regional Director for Latin America at the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the global utilization of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum, ethanol, and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). In her role, Tejada oversees all Council operations in Latin America, covering Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.
Prior to assuming this regional leadership role, Tejada contributed significantly to the Council’s initiatives from 2008 to 2014, holding various positions at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, DC, including serving as the director of communications. Before her tenure with the Council, Tejada gained valuable experience with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.
Having roots in agriculture, Tejada’s journey began as the daughter of a seventh-generation corn, soy, and swine farmer in Southwest Minnesota. She shares her adventures exploring Panama with her husband and two young children.
Verity Ulibarri
Verity Ulibarri serves as chairwoman of the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including ethanol and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). In this capacity, Ulibarri serves as head of the organization’s 15-person board of directors.
Ulibarri has been involved in farming her entire life, first on her family’s farm and then with her husband in their own operation since 2011 Their farm is located in Melrose, New Mexico, where they grow grain sorghum, wheat and forage crops.
She has been a Council delegate for two years and is a member of United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP). Previously, Ulibarri worked for Farm Credit of New Mexico for 13 years while serving as a vice president, credit manager and in a product development and training role.
Ulibarri holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance, an agricultural lending certificate, a U.S. AgBank appraisal certificate and has completed an executive leadership program.
Caleb Wurth
Caleb Wurth serves as the regional director of Southeast Asia and Oceania for the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. corn, barley, sorghum and related products including ethanol.
In this capacity, Wurth manages a regional team that identifies, designs and executes destination market programs, fostering regional agricultural and green energy network development that enables mutually beneficial trade between the United States and the countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Wurth serves global government and non-government stakeholders as a foremost expert on Southeast Asian agrarian and bioethanol systems.
Prior to the Council, Wurth held positions at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) as grain and co-product trader and manager of the International Container Freight Desk. Prior to ADM, Wurth served as a Series 55,63 and 7 certified trader at J.P Morgan Chase Investment Bank where he traded commodity and equity ETF derivates.
Wurth holds a bachelor’s of science degree in feed science and management from Kansas State University. There he published scientific research in transpacific feed preservation and particle grain size analysis.
Ellen Zimmerman
Ellen Zimmerman serves as the director of industry relations for the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including ethanol and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).
In this capacity, Zimmerman is responsible for development and execution of a marketing plan for current and potential members, direct the membership recruitment, retention and funding initiatives and represent the Council at industry functions. Additionally, she works with International Operations, international staff and offices to understand U.S. industry concerns and to facilitate U.S. industry involvement in and support of the Council’s global export market development programs. Zimmerman works on member education efforts including trade education and other key stakeholder engagement programs.
Prior to the Council, Zimmerman worked for the American Seed Trade Association as the Director of Internal Communication and Member Engagement. In this capacity she deepened relationships with member companies and was responsible for creating and implementing new ways to engage members. Zimmerman also served as the project Manager for Ohio Corn & Wheat where she worked to advance the mission of two checkoff programs and a grower’s association. As project manager, she oversaw several initiatives to represent Ohio grain farmers and provide long-term profitability. Her duties included member benefits and engagement, leadership initiatives and assisting with communications.
Zimmerman holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communication from Ohio State University.
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 13 key markets and representatives in an additional 15 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.