{"id":3580,"date":"2015-01-15T13:37:53","date_gmt":"2015-01-15T13:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grains.org\/ltamex\/reflections-decades-of-council-leadership-in-asia\/"},"modified":"2015-01-15T13:37:53","modified_gmt":"2015-01-15T13:37:53","slug":"reflections-decades-of-council-leadership-in-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grains.org\/ltamex\/reflections-decades-of-council-leadership-in-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections: Decades of Council Leadership in Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"
Asian markets have been transformed since 1980, when Korea bought just 2.36 million metric tons (93 million bushels) of U.S. coarse grains, and 1985, when Taiwan\u2019s imports were only 3.02 million tons (119 million bushels). Amid the changes, Byong Ryol Min and Clover Chang have been a key constant in the U.S. Grains Council\u2019s (USGC) programs.<\/p>\n
The Council will be honoring its director in Korea, Min, for 35 years of service and its director in Taiwan, Chang, for 30 years, during its 12th<\/sup> International Marketing Conference & 55th<\/sup> Annual Membership Meeting<\/a> in Heredia, Costa Rica, in early February.<\/p>\n \u201cDedication is the word that resounds with me when I think of Clover,\u201d said USGC President and CEO Tom Sleight. \u201cHe is extremely motivated, extremely loyal and extremely protective of both Taiwan\u2019s interests and the interests of U.S. coarse grain producers and the U.S. grain industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Sleight cites Chang\u2019s skills in maintaining the excellent connections the Council has built over its 40 years of work in Taiwan and his understanding of the unique political, economic and trade factors that affect the Taiwanese market.<\/p>\n \u201cClover has been a key part of our outreach,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a very interesting ride, and now he is helping guide us as Taiwan evolves into a new phase, a new role in international trade.\u201d<\/p>\n Sleight sees Min as an outstanding example of poise in a challenging market.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s seen a lot of change in the Korean marketplace and in the Council\u2019s Korea office, and he\u2019s handled everything with tact, understanding and efficiency. He\u2019s certainly a staunch defender of Korean agriculture and a very able, honorable representative for the U.S. coarse grains industry in Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just his technical expertise that makes Min so effective, Sleight said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe handles his responsibilities with such grace that he\u2019s able to reach people in a very pleasant way to make his points,\u201d he said. \u201cI think anyone who has ever worked with him has always enjoyed not only his technical skills but his diplomacy.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has made the connection between U.S. grain suppliers and importers really shine in Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n The Council will honor nine staff and nine delegates for their longtime service to the organization. Additional reflections on these contributions will be published in this newsletter, and additional information about the meeting is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Asian markets have been transformed since 1980, when Korea bought just 2.36 million metric tons (93 million bushels) of U.S. coarse grains, and 1985, when Taiwan\u2019s imports were only 3.02 million tons (119 million bushels). Amid the changes, Byong Ryol Min and Clover Chang have been a key constant in the U.S. Grains Council\u2019s (USGC) … <\/p>\n