Ag Processing Inc. (AGP) announces two new leaders succeeding two retirements at the end of the calendar year.
Kyle Droescher, AGP vice president of finance, has been selected to be AGP’s next group vice president and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) starting in January 2021.
Droescher will begin his new role following Scott Simmelink’s retirement at the end of the year.
Simmelink has been AGP group vice president and CFO since January 2013. Droescher joined AGP in 2012 as the director of finance. He has more than 28 years of work and leadership experience in accounting, audit, business management, and finance.
Lou Rickers has been promoted to vice president of operations, and will succeed Senior Vice President of Operations Ernie Kiley who will also be retiring at the end of 2020.
Kiley has been with the company since 1980. Rickers started in 1994 as a lab technician at AGP’s Manning, IA, facility.
During his career Rickers also managed AGP’s Sergeant Bluff and Algona, IA, biodiesel plants. Rickers has been at the AGP corporate office in Omaha, NE, since 2014, when he was promoted to the Director of Biodiesel Operations. He’s held the role of senior director of operations since 2018.
“We appreciate Scott and Ernie’s many contributions to AGP’s success,” says Keith Spackler, AGP CEO. “They have both provided exceptional leadership during their careers and we wish them both the best in their well-deserved retirements. At AGP, we’re committed to our employees, which is evidenced by a strong history of promoting from within.
"Kyle and Lou are experienced and accomplished professionals with a track record of success at AGP," he continues. "We have the highest degree of confidence in their ability to continue providing leadership for the company into the future.”
About AGP
AGP is a leading agribusiness with primary operations as a major U.S. soybean processor/refiner producing and marketing soybean meal, refined soybean oil, and biodiesel. AGP businesses also include agricultural product trading in domestic and international markets and numerous U.S. grain elevator operations. AGP is owned by local and regional cooperatives representing farmer-producers across the United States. Corporate headquarters is located in Omaha, NE.