The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) announces the impending retirement of its president and chief executive officer, Randy Gordon, which will occur following the association’s 125th annual convention in March 2021.
“It has been an honor and inspiration to work nearly my entire professional career at NGFA,” Gordon said. “The noble purpose NGFA’s member companies perform in transforming the American farmer’s bounty into safe, nutritious, sustainable and affordable human and animal food, and the professionalism and integrity with which it does so, is a high calling. I’ve also been blessed to work with a peerless, effective and supportive professional staff to advance this great industry’s goals and policy objectives, which are grounded in competitive, free-market principles. I’ll always be grateful for the personal relationships and friendships I’ve made within this industry, and with the many government officials and other trade association executives with whom I’ve had the privilege to work.”
“Randy joined our staff at a time when our industry was facing the daunting challenge of eliminating fire and explosion hazards, and helped communicate the life-saving technology and safety practices developed through NGFA’s unprecedented industry-funded Fire and Explosion Research Program,” said NGFA Chairman JoAnn Brouillette, managing partner of Demeter LP, Fowler, Ind. “His leadership, dedication and selfless service were instrumental in NGFA pursuing new programs and services for its members, and in overcoming many challenges that came thereafter. He also has played a key role in the association’s continued growth into one of our nation’s premier agricultural trade associations. Randy and his predecessors have positioned NGFA extremely well to attain even greater achievements in the years ahead. We wish him and his family all the best.”
Brouillette announced that NGFA has appointed an eight-member Search Committee and now will begin the process of selecting Gordon’s successor. Applications are due by mid-August. Those interested in applying can access the job description and requirements, as well as apply, hrpartnersks.com.
Gordon joined NGFA’s staff on July 1, 1978, as its director of information services. In 1987, he was elected as NGFA’s vice president for communications and government relations. In that capacity, he worked on legislative and regulatory policy issues involving grain elevators, animal feed, agricultural biotechnology, transportation, food defense and facility security, and other issues. He also authored the NGFA Newsletter and other publications, and conveyed NGFA’s views to the news media.
He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) – one of only eight industry members to be so honored during AAFCO’s 110-plus-year history. He also was recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2005 with an award for efforts to prevent the establishment or spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States.
A Nebraska native, Gordon is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with undergraduate degrees in journalism, history and political science. Prior to joining NGFA’s staff, he worked at the University’s Agricultural Communications Department for nearly three years.
About NGFA
NGFA, established in 1896, consists of more than 1,000 grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 7,000 facilities and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds. Its membership includes grain elevators; feed and feed ingredient manufacturers; biofuels companies; grain and oilseed processors and millers; exporters; livestock and poultry integrators; and associated firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed and processing industry. NGFA also consists of 33 affiliated State and Regional Grain and Feed Associations, and NGFA is co-located and has a strategic alliance with North American Export Grain Association, and a strategic alliance with Pet Food Institute.
