With Astbury’s departure, Yara North America is closing its West Coast sales office in Pleasanton and consolidating operations in its North American corporate and East Coast sales office in Tampa, according to Pete Valesares, Yara North America president. Bill McBride will continue as vice president of premium offerings for the U.S. and Canada. Geraldo Mattioli, currently manager of the company’s YaraVita?äó line of products, will serve as director of premium offerings West. Sandro Pippobello, who has been director of business initiatives for Yara North America, will now serve as director of premium offerings East. All three will work out of Yara’s Tampa office. Two other employees at the company’s Pleasanton office will now work out of Stockton, Calif., where Yara is completing construction of a $21 million, 80,000 ton bulk dry fertilizer storage and distribution facility at the Port of Stockton. The Stockton facility, which will handle urea, ammonium sulfate, sulfate of potash, dry calcium nitrate, and other dry specialty fertilizers, is expected to be operational within months.
Management Briefs
Lou Astbury on June 16 announced his retirement from Yara North America, where he served as vice president of the Western U.S. Astbury’s departure from Yara took effect June 15, and will allow him to pursue opportunities in consulting and independent market representation. Astbury’s more than 30 years of service in the fertilizer industry have given him extensive experience in international trade, domestic sales, and distribution of fertilizer materials. Prior to his work at Yara, Astbury worked for W.R. Grace Agricultural Chemicals and Borden Chemicals. He is a past co-chairman of the Western Plant Health Association, and has also served as president of the California Fertilizer Foundation. Asbury will continue to reside in Pleasanton, Calif., and can be reached at 925-417-5957; by cell at 925-216-0374; and by email at lou.astbury@gmail.com.