SSGA elects two new board members; tabs Sinner as chair

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) welcomed two new members to its board of directors during the group’s annual meeting on Thursday, as Jake Noll of Minnesota-based Richland IFC and Chuck Kunisch of Michigan Agricultural Commodities were elected to two of three open seats.

For the other open seat, Darwin Rader of Michigan-based Zeeland Farm Services was reelected to the eight-member board during the meeting, held at the office of the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Bob Sinner of North Dakota-based SB&B Foods was selected to chair the SSGA board for a second time.

“SSGA has really gotten its legs,” said Sinner, who previously served as SSGA chair in 2021. “I think everybody understands and realizes what SSGA means to the identity preserved world. We’ve had some great successes, and there are some great things on the horizon for the industry. I’m just proud to be able to assist the leadership in continuing to grow the organization.”

Rader was elected as SSGA vice-chair, while Colby Eymann of Scoular was reelected as the group’s secretary/treasurer.

“I am so honored that the membership has faith in me to continue to serve their needs,” said Rader, who has served as chair of SSGA’s competitive shipping action team. “And I’ll do my best to fill their expectations in that role.”

Although they had not previously served on the board, both Noll and Kunisch also have taken on action team leadership positions as SSGA members.

“I’m glad to have been elected,” said Noll, chair of SSGA’s food grade soya action team. “I hope to further what SSGA has been doing, and I look forward to working with our group of board members and everyone involved in the Alliance.

Kunisch is chair of SSGA’s specialty grains action team.

“I really appreciate everybody’s vote and confidence to do the job,” Kunisch said. “I hope I can help further advance the goals of SSGA.”

Noll and Kunisch replaced outgoing board directors Adam Buckentine and Andy Bensend, who did not seek reelection to their seats. Each was honored by SSGA with a retiring director’s award.

SSGA’s other board directors are Rob Prather of WeFARM Organics; Keith Schrader representing Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and Bryan Stobaugh of Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council.

Chair Rob Prather with retiring director Andy Bensend

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SSGA also awarded its Alliance Honors to the American Soybean Association’s WISHH program; Fawad Shah of Minnesota Crop Improvement Association; Duluth Cargo Connect and the late Robert (Bob) Karls, former executive director of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board.