Dan Walters, Terra Industries Inc.’s corporate manager of security and environmental risk, was elected to serve as vice chairman of the Chemical Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC). Walters will serve a three-year term on CSCC’s executive committee, first as vice chair, followed by one-year terms as chair and previous past chair. The CSCC was formed voluntarily by stakeholders within the chemical sector in May 2004, as envisioned by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7. The CSCC currently comprises representatives from 18 key stakeholder associations.
Walters was nominated as both a member of The Fertilizer Institute and the Agricultural Retailers Association, and received the majority of support from other trade association voting members of the CSCC. He joins the following members of the CSCC executive committee during the next year: Clyde Miller of BASF, CSCC Chair; Tim Scott of Dow, CSCC Previous Past Chair; Ted Cromwell of the American Chemistry Council, CSCC Assistant Chair; and Kris Ballweg of TFI, CSCC Assistant Chair.
Compass Minerals has named Jack Leunig vice president of manufacturing and engineering, with responsibility for the productivity and efficiency of the company’s manufacturing and mining operations. “Jack is a proven leader with more than 32 years of progressive manufacturing experience and a strong commitment to the principles of continuous improvement through operational excellence,” said Angelo Brisimitzakis, Compass president and CEO. “As our organization continues to profitably grow through investments in capacity and product innovation, Jack will ensure that Compass Minerals remains focused on quality, safety, productivity and customer service.”
Leunig joins Compass from Johns Manville, where he most recently held the position of vice president of operations for the firm’s $1.2 billion building products division. Prior to joining Johns Manville in 2004, he served in manufacturing and supply chain leadership roles for Great Lakes Chemical, Allied-Signal/Honeywell International, and General Electric. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maine.
The Western Plant Health Association has elected new board members and officers for 2009. Barry Powell of Calamco, Stockton, is chairman; Michael Donnelly of Dow AgroSciences is vice chairman; and Barbara LeVake of Trical Inc., Hollister, is secretary/treasurer. Steve Gillette of PotashCorp and J.R. Abele of Chemtura Corp., Fresno, were selected as executive committee members.
Those elected to three-year terms on the board of directors were Larry Wanken of BASF, John Smith of Bayer CropSciences, and Jim Tuttle of Monterey Ag Resources, representing crop protection manufacturers/formulators; Rex Harke of Agrium, US, representing fertilizer manufacturers; and Joe Burdullis of Ag Rx, Joe Inglima of Mid Valley Ag Services, and Scott Hushbeck of Wilbur-Ellis Co., representing the agricultural retailer segment of the industry.
This year’s Integrity Award went to Chris Moudry of Basin Fertilizer & Chemical Co. The group’s Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Gordon Miller, of Western Farm Service.