Martin Resources, a division of Martin Midstream Partners LP, Kilgore, Texas, has recently named Billy Wood to the new position of general manager at Martin’s Plainview, Texas, fertilizer production facility. He will assume management, administrative, marketing, and operations responsibility for all aspects of the Plainview facility. Martin says he brings a proven track record of management experience with his many years of service in the agricultural industry at Goodpasture, most recently with Chemnut Inc. He will report to Ron Garner, vice president, fertilizer.
Additionally, Martin has named David Painter as plant manager-fertilizer facility. He will be responsible for all operations of the NPK and ammonium sulfate production facilities.
Dan Hinsley has been named as manager-sulfuric acid facility. He will be responsible for all operations of Martin’s new sulfuric acid production facility located in Plainview.
Rick Cabello has been named plant engineer, responsible for all engineering and technical needs of the production facilities located in Plainview.
Greg Garza has been named maintenance manager-Plainview facility. He will be responsible for all maintenance needs for the entire production operations located in Plainview.
Rich Diffley has joined Lange-Stegmann Co. and will be responsible for its warehousing and wholesale operations, excluding the new Stabilized Nitrogen Center. He most recently managed the St. Louis operations of SAIA Motor Freight.
Burney Bagget has been hired as director of environmental, health, and safety for both Lange-Stegmann and Agrotain International. He has spent much of his career with American Car Foundries, a national manufacturer of rail cars and rail car parts. He most recently served as corporate safety manager, handling safety programs, internal audits, environmental compliance, and safety related litigation. A published author of safety training materials, Bagget earned his Master of Science in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry degree from Purdue University and holds numerous professional certifications.
David Hansen has accepted a new position as Agrotain’s North Pacific Rim regional manager. He rejoins the company after a five year international posting as the China Cotton Lead with Monsanto Co.’s Delta and Pine Land Beijing operation. Hansen will be responsible for market development work in China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries, focused on developing strategic distribution partnerships.
Carrie Doza has been promoted to Agrotain’s marketing communications manager. She has worked in various marketing and sales support positions, most recently the role of marketing specialist. In addition to marketing communications for UFLEXX, UMAXX, and HYDREXX, Doza will manage the trade show program, sales support program, and special events for all of Agrotain International. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and has a Masters in Business Administration from Lindenwood University.
Yara International ASA has appointed Egil Hogna as its new chief financial officer, effective in August, succeeding Sven Ombudstvedt. Hogna, who has been with Yara since 1999, is currently located in France managing the Business Unit Mediterranean, with an annual turnover of approximately US$800 million.
During his nine years with Yara and the former Norsk Hydro, Hogna has held a number of management positions, including head of investor relations during the Yara IPO (2004-2006) and corporate controller during the Hydro Agri turnaround (1999-2001). He has also worked for Hydro Aluminium. Prior to joining Norsk Hydro, he was a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. He holds an MSc in Industrial Management from the Norwegian Institute of Technology and an MBA from INSEAD, France.
Athabasca Potash Inc. has retained potash industry veteran Robert Connochie as advisor to management. Connochie has served as a past director and chairman of a number of potash and fertilizer industry associations and mining companies. He is a past chairman of Canpotex Ltd., the Potash and Phosphate Institute, and the Saskatchewan Potash Producers Association. He also served as a director and interim chairman and CEO of Asia Pacific Potash Inc.
From 1987 to 1993, Connochie was chairman and president of Potash Company of America (PCA). Prior to its acquisition by PotashCorp, PCA produced potash from two mines – one in Saskatchewan and a second one in New Brunswick – as an independent producer and marketer. Before joining PCS, Connochie was vice president, corporate development, at Rio Algom Ltd., a unit of Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining companies.
“We are very pleased Bob has joined Athabasca as an advisor. His name is very well recognized in the potash community around the world. He brings to Athabasca extensive expertise at the highest level in all aspects of the potash industry, which includes marketing, finance and mine planning,” said Athabasca’s President and CEO Dawn Zhou.
Connochie holds a BA Sc in Civil Engineering from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, majoring in Finance and Quantitative Analysis.
Omni Sulphur Group, Nipomo, Calif., recently announced the addition of Patrick Lumley as technical director, where he will primarily focus on servicing sulfur clients and projects. He joins the company with a management and technical background in mechanical and process systems, specializing in plant design, equipment, sulfur projects, and plant operations. He has been a consultant and project manager for several large companies, including TengizChevroil, Hazco Environmental Technologies, Enersul Ltd., Moore Agricultural Products, and Tiger Industries. A graduate of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, he has been credited with planning, designing, and developing projects exceeding $400 million.
The Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry, the state’s largest business lobbying organization, elected Trent Clark as its board chairman for 2008-2010. Clark is director of government and public affairs at Monsanto’s elemental phosphorus plant near Soda Springs in Caribou County, which produces more than 200 million pounds of elemental phosphorus annually. Recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, the plant is the only North American producer of elemental phosphorus, a chemical used in food products, herbicides, hydraulic fluids, fire retardants, and water purification systems.
Mark Dunn, a J.R. Simplot Co. vice president, also was elected to IACI’s board.