Uralchem, one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers in Russia and the FSU, has named a North American fertilizer industry veteran to its board. John M. Van Brunt, former CEO and president of Agrium Inc., was elected to the Uralchem board of directors at the company’s Sept. 16 shareholders meeting. Van Brunt will be an independent non-executive director and will head the board’s strategy and development committee.
On Sept. 17 Uralchem announced that Dmitry A. Mazepin was elected chairman of the board of directors. The company’s board also decided to create an audit committee with Van Brunt and Paul J. Ostling appointed as members; to create a staff and remuneration committee with Ostling, Mazepin, and Dimitriy V. Tatyanin as members; and to create a strategy and development committee with Van Brunt, Ostling, Anton V. Vishanenko, Mikhail V. Genkin, and Dmitry V. Osipov as members. Back in June, UralChem shareholders elected Mazepin, Ostling, Osipov, Vishanenko, Tatyanin, Genkin, Dmitry V. Konyaev, Mikhail A. Markin, and Sergey A. Drinevskiy to the board of directors, increasing the number of board members to nine from seven the previous year. UralChem decided on Sept. 16 to elect a new board of directors, with Van Brunt, Vishanenko, Genkin, Drinevskiy, Konyaev, Mazepin, Osipov, Ostling and Tatyanin as members. The company also recently announced that the board of directors of Voskresensk Mineral Fertilizers OJSC (Minudobrenya) had approved the appointment of Murad Chaparov as general director of Minudobrenya.
Growmark Inc. announced four new members of its management team, effective Sept. 16. Marshall Bohbrink was named vice president, risk management and treasurer; Kevin Carroll was named vice president, energy; Shelly Kruse was named vice president, Midwest retail and acquisitions; and Jim Spradlin was named vice president, agronomy.
Bohbrink joined Growmark in 1976 and was named treasurer in 1999. He holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Iowa and an MBA from Illinois State University.
Carroll joined the company in 1985 and has held various positions, including financial analyst, energy operations manager, business analysis and research director, and most recently, Northern Region manager. He has a degree in Finance from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Illinois State University.
Kruse joined Growmark in 1983 at Bureau County Service Co. She has also served as Iowa regional manager and energy division manager. She will provide leadership for the Midwest and Ontario retail subsidiaries, as well as the Illini FS division, and oversee retail and wholesale acquisitions for member cooperatives and Growmark. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Lewis University and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University.
Spradlin has been with the company since 1982 and served as general manager for both Piatt County Service Co. and Ag-Land FS, Inc., and was energy division manager and, most recently, agronomy division manager. He will provide leadership to Growmark’s seed, crop protection, and plant food businesses. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from Illinois College.
Potash One Inc. has appointed Ted Warren to the position of manager, operations. His focus will be on the company’s Legacy Potash project in southern Saskatchewan. Potash One says he has more than 45 years of experience in the mining industry, having worked in base metals, potash, and uranium operations. Over the years he has worked for Hudson Bay Mining, PotashCorp, what is now Mosaic Co. at Esterhazy, Cameco, and AMEC Americas mining division.