Speakers

Bob Finken

Bob Finken is a fourth generation farmer from NW central North Dakota. The diversified farm utilizes a no till production system and specializes in seed production and marketing. The main crops are yellow peas, chickpeas, wheats, soybeans, and oilseeds. He is on the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council board.

Brandt Neibuhr

As Commercial Manager for ADM Edible Beans Specialties, Brandt leads ADM’s Latin America export program and several key domestic customer accounts. Brandt joined ADM in 2008 and previously help commercial roles in ADM’s export trading, transportation, grain, and flour milling divisions. Brandt earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration from Illinois State University

Caleb Sundblad

Caleb Sunblad currently serve as the Vice President of Dry Beans and Specialty Crops at Cooperative Elevator Co based in Michigan. He oversees the edible bean marketing operations at their joint venture in North Dakota, subsidiary in Manitoba, and farmer-owned Cooperative in Michigan.

Chelsea Didinger

Chelsea Didinger has a PhD in Nutrition from Colorado State University, where her translational research focused on increasing consumer bean/pulse intake. She is the Global Nutritional Specialist for the US Dry Bean Council and Founder of the informational outreach platform A Legume a Day.

Courtney Schuller

Courtney grew up on a family farm in western Nebraska and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in both Soil & Crop Sciences & Agricultural Business from Colorado State University. She currently works for Trinidad Benham and manages their dry bean origination in the Nebraska/Colorado region. She also serves the dry bean industry on the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission, Rocky Mountain Bean Dealers Association & the US Dry Bean Council.

Dan Archibald

Dan Archibald is the Director for the Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Monterrey, Mexico. He previously served as Agricultural Attaché in Ghana. Before joining USDA, Dan was an agroforestry Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon. He holds a bachelor’s in international studies from the University of Mary Washington and a master’s in public policy from George Mason University.

Dave Weber

Dave is the Manager of New Alliance, a dry bean cooperative in Nebraska that specializes in Great Northern and Pinto beans. He is on the Board of Directors of The Rocky Mountain Bean Dealers Association and the US Dry Bean Council, where he is the current Chairman of the Food Aid Committee.

Dylan Karley

Dylan Karley is the General Manager of North Central Commodities based in Johnstown, North Dakota. NCC is a distribution and export company that specializes in pinto beans and black beans. With over 40 years in the export business, NCC is one of the leading exporters of dry edible beans from the United States. Dylan is also a third-generation bean farmer, the General Manager of Johnstown Bean Company, a board member of the North Central Bean Dealers & the U.S. Dry Bean Council, and the Vice President of the Midwest Dry Bean Coalition.

Esteban Davila

Esteban Davila is Director of International Business at Great Northern Ag and has years of experience selling grains and pulses to Spanish-speaking countries. He graduated in Business Administration from the National University of Colombia and has specialized in international business with a focus on products such as lentils, peas and chickpeas. He focuses on gathering market information from different countries and origins in order to keep up to date with market issues and provide his own reliable information.

Ewa Pietrysiak

Ewa Pietrysiak holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and has over 10 years of experience in both academia and industry. As a former scientist and current Director of Marketing and Innovation for the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, she promotes pulses domestically and internationally, highlighting their nutritional benefits and value-added potential.

Francisco Gutierrez Jr

Francisco is the Director General of Comerical Guiterrez, a Mexican company with more than 50 years of experience in the agro-food industry. It focuses on the production, collection, processing, and packaging of seeds from various grains and legumes, especially beans, with a goal of providing Mexican families with the highest quality food.

Ignacio Samano Jr

Ignacio Samano Estevez is the Import and Export Manager at Empacadora El Fresno. He has been in the pulses business for 3 years and a half now.

Jeff Rumney

Jeff Rumney, Vice President of Marketing for USA Pulses, leads initiatives to expand domestic and international markets for US-origin pulses. He works closely with consumers, scientists, producers, and industry leaders worldwide, drawing inspiration from the significant benefits of pulse production and consumption.

Joe Cramer

After growing up on a farm in central Michigan, Joe Cramer continued his education at Michigan State University. Following graduation, Joe spent 27 years with Star of the West Milling Company, eventually becoming Vice President of their edible bean division. In late 2012, Joe was given the opportunity to be the Executive Director of the Michigan Bean Commission - which serves the dry bean growers in Michigan.

Jorge Uriarte

Jorge Uriarte is the General Director of Intercontinental de Mexico Trading, bringing over 30 years of experience in the grain trading industry. A graduate in Business Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana, Jorge has developed a robust career as an agent representative in Mexico for various foreign companies. His expertise lies in trading a range of commodities, including edible beans, yellow popcorn, lentils, canary seed, and milk powder. With a deep understanding of market dynamics, Jorge has made significant contributions to the sector, navigating the complexities of grain trading with skill and integrity.

Lauren Perez

Lauren Perez Hoistad, Chief of Staff at PURIS, is passionate about the innovative potential and rapid growth of pulse ingredients. She brings a unique perspective to the panel, combining strategic acumen and marketing expertise to explore how pulse ingredients can revolutionize the food industry.

Matt Searcy

Matt Searcy is a seasoned Pulse Merchant for Columbia Grain International headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Matt trades all pulse commodities handled by CGI with an emphasis on Latin America and Domestic markets. In his free time, Matt enjoys hunting and fishing.

Russ Kehl

Russ Kehl of Quincy, Washington has owned Farmer Bean & Seed, LLC since 2009. In addition to dry bean processing facilities in Washington, Idaho, and Colorado, the Kehl’s have operated a large farming enterprise in Washington State since 1993. Kehl Farms produces potatoes and dry beans, as well as other row crops, and also operates a trucking and logistics company.

Ryan Van Pevenage

Ryan joined Columbia Grain International in 2013, where he initially supported elevator and processing operations in Montana while pursuing his degree in business administration. Throughout his tenure at CGI, he has contributed to various accounting, operations, and trading teams, gaining extensive industry experience. In 2019, Ryan was promoted to Lead Pulse Merchant, where he oversees the international trade business for CGI and manages interior market operations across several regions. His expertise and leadership have been instrumental in driving the company’s success in the pulse market.

Sam Peck

After 38 years as an international trader of dried beans, Sam has been employed for the last 6 years by Jack’s Bean Company, a grower/processor group with 3 processing plants in North Dakota and Colorado. He also markets internationally for three cleaning facilities in three other states, as well as trades beans originating in other countries to long time customers in need of his knowledge and experience in the business.

Vicente Mendoza

Vicente has 19 years of experience in the agricultural sector. He has held various positions within the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER). He has also collaborated in projects with the World Bank and FAO. He was also a professor of International Trade and International Marketing at the Universidad Autónoma del Noreste (UANE). He currently works with the US Dry Bean Council on their annual Mexico crop reporting.