This year, two employees in the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) Malaysia regional office are celebrating two decades of service each to the organization. Their long-standing work extends past simple day-to-day activities to underpinning the Council’s success in markets in Southeast Asia. 

“Relationships are a major pillar of being effective, and the continuity that our staff provides is the glue that holds those relationships together,” said Kevin Roepke, regional director and head of the USCG office in Kuala Lumpur. 

This year, two of his staff mark 20 years of USGC service: Azleen Iberahim, administrative and project manager, and Cong Meng Choo, finance and administration manager. 

“Having employees with this much experience in international market development is truly invaluable,” said Roepke, who is himself celebrating five years of service with the USGC this year. “Regional directors come and go, but these wonderful ladies and Shellen Ng, program director, have been here basically since we opened the office in Kuala Lumpur.” 

Council members are also quick to recognize the value of such staff contributions in the Southeast Asia market and around the world. 

“These markets have room to grow, and the quality of our Council staff is critical to our success,” said North Carolina corn grower and USGC delegate Guy Davenport.

Iowan and USGC Board Member Dick Gallagher agreed that the USGC overseas staff do impressive work for U.S. agriculture.

“It’s amazing to see what they do, to see the respect people have overseas, and the respect that importers of our corn, barley and sorghum have for our USGC staff,” Gallagher said.

Those qualities will make USGC’s Kuala Lumpur staff even more important to the Council’s success over the next two decades and beyond.