Agrotain International LLC has appointed Ben Thompson as industrial sales manager. He initially joined the company in October 2006 as the Florida Agriculture sales manager, and will continue those efforts along with industrial sales. In his new role, he will manage existing industrial accounts and seek out new industrial opportunities. He has 25 years experience in fertilizer sales and marketing, with three years focused on industrial fertilizer sales. He can be reached at 651-322-7010 (office) 561-376-4571 (mobile), or at bthompson@agrotain.com.
Jim Bellar received the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award during FFAA’s 75th annual meeting in Naples in July. FFAA said Bellar, an Indiana native, worked in Florida’s agricultural industries for 36 years before retiring last month from Florida Favorite Fertilizer and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. FFAA noted that Bellar was the organization’s board chairman in 1998-99 and oversaw the association during a year when staff turned over 100 percent; he is credited with smoothly steering FFAA through that transition.
In other news, FFAA elected Brent Sutton to serve a one-year term as chairman. He is president and general manager for Lake Alfred-based Growers Fertilizer Corp. Gaylon Pfeiffer, a business representative for BASF Corp., was elected vice chairman. Justin Bunch, general manager-Florida Division for Crop Production Services, was named secretary/treasurer.