GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — Three new officers were elected at the International Association of Operative Millers’ (I.A.O.M.) 113th Conference & Expo on April 30 in Grand Rapids.

Ivo Klaric, assistant facility manager at Horizon Milling in Saskatoon, Sask., became the 105th president of the I.A.O.M. A native of Bolivia, Mr. Klaric is the association’s first president who is not from North America. The theme of Mr. Klaric’s presidency is "Milling at the Right Time, in the Right Place, with the Right People."

Mr. Klaric has been an active member of the I.A.O.M. since 1985, according to the association. He was on the executive committee as treasurer in 2007-08, and as vice-president in 2008-09. He was director of the I.A.O.M.’s Latin America District in 2003-07. He is also the immediate past president of the International Milling Education Foundation (I.M.E.F.), a philanthropic partner of the I.A.O.M. that funds a variety of educational programs related to the grain milling industry.

Before joining Cargill in 2008, Mr. Klaric was operations manager at Seaboard-Ecuador, in Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador, from 1993 to 2008. He was also plant manager of Pro-Granos in Puerto Rico. He started his milling career at Ferrari & Ghezzi in Bolivia, serving as the head miller of Molino Andino in La Paz from 1982-87 and plant manager of Molino El Pagador in Oruro, Bolivia, from 1987-1990.

He completed his degree in milling science at Kansas State University in 1982, and was one of the first Latin American graduates of the program. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico and a master’s of business administration in finance from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico.

"I live in Canada, I have a Bolivian passport, and my godfather is from Croatia," Mr. Klaric said during his acceptance speech during the annual I.A.O.M. banquet. "All of this makes sense in times of globalization. Our growth, sustainability and contribution to the milling industry need to continue. Our membership continues to successfully grow in international fields."

Mr. Klaric said among his top priorities during his year as president will be ensuring that the I.A.O.M. continues to strengthen the grain milling industry through short courses, correspondence courses and conference-sharing experiences.

"We need to continue our work to bring together the best technical milling information, mill management techniques and the latest information on new milling equipment so that we may efficiently educate and train our members," he said. "We believe a solid network of millers will strengthen I.A.O.M., the international milling industry, and the capabilities of individual millers who belong to I.A.O.M."

Hahlweg to v.p.

Bart Hahlweg, plant manager for ConAgra Foods, Inc. in Oakland, Calif., was unanimously elected 2009-10 vice-president of the I.A.O.M. Mr. Hahlweg will oversee operations for the association’s 2010 conference in Las Vegas.

Mr. Hahlweg has been an active member of the I.A.O.M. since 1992, including as treasurer of the executive committee from 2008-09. He was director of the I.A.O.M.’s Golden West District from 2005-08; and was that district’s chairman in 2002-04. He also was the Southeastern District’s chairman from 1997-98, the association said. In addition to his new role as vice-president of the I.A.O.M., Mr. Hahlweg will be president of the I.M.E.F.

Mr. Hahlweg joined ConAgra Foods upon graduation in 1989. Over the course of his career at ConAgra, he has worked in six different facilities as operations analyst, scheduling supervisor, associate miller, elevator/packaging supervisor, and plant manager. His first plant manager appointment came in 1993 in Blackwell, Okla., followed by three years managing the company’s Tampa, Fla., facility He has been the Oakland facility’s plant manager since 1998.

He received a bachelor’s of science degree in agricultural business at Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Woodard tapped as treasurer

Joseph Woodard, general manager for Archer Daniels Midland Co. in Arkansas City, Kas., was elected 2009-10 treasurer of the I.A.O.M. As treasurer, he will oversee preparations for the association’s 2010 and 2011 conferences in Las Vegas and San Antonio, respectively. He is also in line to take over as the association’s president from 2011-12, according to the I.A.O.M.

Mr. Woodard has been an active member of the I.A.O.M. since 1980. He was director of the I.A.O.M.’s Wheat State District from 2003-09 and was that district’s chairman in 1999-2000. While serving as treasurer of the I.A.O.M., he will be vice-president of I.M.E.F. Mr. Woodard has been an I.M.E.F. trustee since it was founded in 2003.

Mr. Woodard joined the milling division of ADM in 1979. He has held several positions, including miller, mill superintendent, plant superintendent, plant manager and general manager. He currently is general manager for ADM’s two operations in Arkansas City.

During the meeting, it was reported that the I.A.O.M. had a net operating profit of $96,000, the fourth consecutive year that the association has operated with a net profit. It also was noted that total donations for the I.M.E.F., the philanthropic partner of the I.A.O.M. that was established in 2003, have risen to $228,000. The I.M.E.F. is building an endowment to fund a variety of educational programs, professional development efforts and research projects for the grain milling industry.

Through I.M.E.F. funding, the I.A.O.M. recently announced it will grant a $2,500 scholarship each year to a deserving student in Kansas State University’s milling science program.

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