Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) said May 25 that James Dietz, executive vice president and chief operating officer, has elected to retire at the end of June. Named to his current position in 2000, Dietz has over 41 years’ experience in the fertilizer and chemical industries.
“Jim has been a key member of our senior management team since coming to the company with the Arcadian acquisition in 1997,” said PotashCorp President and CEO Bill Doyle. “Jim has provided a steady hand for our operations, and his dedication to safety and excellence at our production sites is well known. A source of great support and wise counsel, he will be missed.”
A graduate of The Ohio State University, Dietz began his career with Standard Oil of Ohio, which was subsequently purchased by British Petroleum. After several British postings with BP, he returned to the U.S. in 1993 and joined Arcadian, where he achieved the position of vice president, manufacturing.
Taking over for Dietz as executive vice president and chief operating officer will be David Delaney, currently president of PCS Sales. Delaney also came to the company from Arcadian, and is responsible for PotashCorp’s global sales activities. In addition, he oversees all transportation and distribution activities and corporate relations. Named to his current position in 2000, Delaney serves on the boards of the Phosphate Chemicals Export Association (PhosChem), Canpotex Ltd., and the International Plant Nutrition Institute. A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Delaney has completed the Executive Management Program at the University of Pittsburgh.
Stephen Dowdle will be promoted to Delaney’s position as president of PCS Sales. Currently senior vice president of fertilizer sales, Dowdle joined the company in 1999 from Canpotex, where he gained extensive international experience during 10 years as vice president and managing director in Singapore. Prior to joining Canpotex, Dowdle was an agronomist, serving as director, China Programs, for the Potash & Phosphate Institute (now IPNI).
Dowdle serves on the boards of PhosChem and Sinofert Holdings Ltd. He earned a Ph.D. in Agronomy and Soil Science from the University of Hawaii, and a B.A. in Anthropology from Brown University.
Tom Fry will be joining The Mosaic Co. and assuming a new role as sales manager, premium products. He will be based in the Plymouth office and report to Tom Philbin, vice president, North American sales.
Fry comes to Mosaic from Monsanto, where he most recently served in a regional technical sales management role. In addition to his Monsanto background, Fry also worked for Pioneer Hi-Bred for 15 years. He has an agronomy degree from the University of Minnesota.
The Mosaic technical sales managers will report to Fry.
Consolidated Sourcing Solutions, the new fertilizer sourcing group (GM May 17, p. 1), has hired Gary Voichahoske as vice president. CSS says it has also hired a president, though the official announcement on that will be made in 7-14 days.
Voichahoske, who was raised on an east central Nebraska farm, has spent his 30-year career working in cooperative retail business. He will be located at Central Valley Ag’s Monroe, Nebraska, agronomy office, and can be reached at 402-495-3087.
CSS intends to be operational in June 2010 and will operate out of a yet-to-be announced location. CSS was formed by Central Valley Ag Cooperative of O’Neill, Neb., South Dakota Wheat Growers of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and Farmers Cooperative Co. of Ames, Iowa.
Waconia Manufacturing, Waconia, Minn., a global supplier of fertilizer blending and handling equipment, reports that it has established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). It says employees will have a significant ownership interest in the company.
Waconia also said that Gary Burau, formerly president, will provide consulting services for the company and serve as chairman of the board. Troy Williams has been named president and will handle day-to-day operations. He has been with the company for over 17 years and was formerly vice president.