SHAWNEE MISSION, KAS. — Neal D. Bassi has been named president of Manildra Group USA, effective Oct. 1. He will succeed Gerard A. (Gerry) Degnan, who has been president since 2005. Mr. Degnan has been named to the newly created post of senior vice-president of sales and marketing.

“As we move towards the next generation, we are pleased to have both Neal and Gerry transitioning together to confirm our commitment as a leading supplier to the food industry,” said John Honan, managing director of The Manildra Group. “Neal has the full support of his team and will continue to serve our customers with the same level of excellence as achieved under Gerry’s leadership.”

Mr. Bassi is currently vice-president of sales. Prior to joining Manildra, he was director of sales for Archer Daniels Midland’s wheat gluten and starch division. He joined ADM in 2003 as a product manager for the Specialty Food Ingredients division based in Decatur, Ill. Mr. Bassi began his career as a management trainee at MGP Ingredients in 1996 and held various operational and sales roles throughout the organization. In 2001, he joined The Scoular Co. as senior market manager where he traded various food ingredients from around the world.

Mr. Bassi is an active in a number of industry associations, including the American Bakers Association, the American Society of Baking, the Allied Trades to the Baking Industry, the Institute of Food Technologists and the AACC International.

He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas State University.

Prior to joining Manildra in 2005, Mr. Degnan spent 24 years with Archer Daniels Midland Co., most recently as vice-president of the ADM Specialty Food Ingredient Division. Earlier, he was president of ADM Arkady and also was a general manager and regional sales manager for the company.

Mr. Degnan began his career in the industry in 1974 as a sales representative with Universal Foods Corp. — Red Star Yeast Division. In 1976, he was named area sales manager for the company, a position he held until joining ADM in 1981.

He received a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University in Chicago.

Manildra supplies vital wheat gluten and wheat starches to the bakery and general food industries.