SSGA joins USDA trade mission to Vietnam

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SSGA, the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance, joined a group of 23 industry associations, 36 companies and nine state departments of agriculture as the USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission to Vietnam began on Monday in Ho Chi Minh City.

Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick and IP Technical Advisor Hoa Huynh are representing SSGA this week, promoting SSGA member businesses and the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance program and label, during the event, which moves north to Hanoi on Wednesday.

Frederick and Huynh are meeting with food manufacturers and buyers, including a lunch with Vinamilk on Monday. Vinamilk was a gracious host two years ago when SSGA held an international launch of the U.S. Identity Preserved brand in Ho Chi Minh City. That event prompted Vinamilk’s research and development to begin inquiring about and sampling U.S. Identity Preserved soybeans for its products.

Vietnam is the United States’ 10th-largest export market, and the U.S. is Vietnam’s third-largest supplier of agricultural products. According to speakers at the trade mission’s plenary session, Vietnamese consumers are often on the lookout for high-quality, premium products, including those of U.S. origin or with U.S. ingredients, despite higher prices for those American products due to tariffs and other factors. Food safety and hygiene are growing concerns for consumers.

Vietnam and the rest of Southeast Asia holds immense opportunity for U.S. exporters, with rising consumer incomes, growing middle class populations and favorable perceptions of U.S. food and agriculture. In 2023, the United States exported $3.1 billion of agricultural products to Vietnam. As the third-largest supplier of food and farm products to Vietnam, the United States holds sizable market share across several categories, including bulk commodities such as cotton, soybeans and distillers grains, as well as consumer-oriented products such as tree nuts, dairy, poultry and fresh fruit.

Besides meeting with buyers and connecting with other organizations doing business in the region, the trade mission gives SSGA a chance to hear detailed market briefings from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service staff covering Vietnam, as well as Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar, along with industry experts and government contacts.

The trade mission is being led by Alexis Taylor, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

More information: https://fas.usda.gov/newsroom/usda-trade-mission-expand-ag-exports-vietnam-southeast-asia

Strategizing the St. Lawrence Seaway’s potential: SSGA hosts transportation mission to Netherlands, Belgium

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By amplifying the global visibility of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) accomplished a key goal during a first-of-its-kind ag transportation mission to Europe’s largest seaports in Belgium and the Netherlands Sept. 2-6. But a checked box is just a first step in what SSGA has learned in a long, but attainable to-do list ahead.

“What has happened here, is that we’re on the cusp of change,” said Eric Wenberg, executive director of SSGA. “The right people are meeting and talking to each other. This trip is not a trade promotion trip. This is a transportation preference trip. We need to make it clear that the U.S. does have transportation access to these ports and onward to the rest of the world if we need it, but we’re asking the stakeholders to choose a preference from the U.S. and reconsider the Great Lakes.”

Exploring the interconnectivity of commerce

SSGA brought in stakeholders from all over the Midwest, including Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota soy checkoff leaders, the Department of Transportation, USDA and Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, to participate in several networking opportunities and tours to discuss the potential benefits of the St. Lawrence Seaway being chosen as the gateway of choice.

“We need supply chain resiliency and redundancy in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system,” said Peter Hirthe, international trade specialist with the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

Attendees witnessed how industry leaders stay one step ahead at Hutchison Port ECT, recognized as one of Europe’s leading container terminal operators. The terminal utilizes semi-automatic cranes and automated guided vehicles to move containers, enhancing operational efficiency and safety. That followed with a trip to the World Port Center, Samga grain terminal in Belgium and more, giving SSGA and other leaders from the U.S. the opportunity to learn about the interconnectivity of commerce between Europe and the rest of the world.

“From a business development standpoint, success in business development has relied on finding a need. A lot of times the customer doesn’t know what it is they need and what it is that would make it better. Redundancy and resilience-that’s what a lot of our job is going to be, finding the defined needs and coming up with a creative solution,” Gary Williams, SSGA’s director of transportation and regulatory affairs, said.

Joining forces

Through conversations with colleagues and maritime industry leaders from Europe, feelings of optimism grew during the four-day visit.

“The planning of this and the way this was done was extremely unique, but it worked,” said SSGA Chair Bob Sinner. “It’s hard to know who we should have in the room for these types of discussions. To have a room full of logistics providers made sense because they have a lot of companies that export to the U.S. As a shipper, I’m extremely grateful for the understanding of our history and complexities and how difficult freight can be for companies like us.”

U.S. attendees also made it a priority to highlight the importance of the St. Lawrence Seaway at each of the week’s several networking meetings.

“We shared information about the St. Lawrence Seaway, like the fact that it had 99.4% on-time deliveries, that it is very environmentally sustainable and is a direct path to Rotterdam,” said Gail Donkers, who represents MSR&PC on SSGA’s board of directors. “Our trade mission delegation had time to meet with the transportation specialists to discuss our objectives and look at how each company could benefit from shipping goods along the St. Lawrence Seaway as a back haul.”

Finding a route for success

The visit wrapped up with an opportunity for U.S. attendees to gather to brainstorm, reflect and develop a vision for what the next steps entail.

“What we’ve learned on the trip is that there are billions of dollars being invested in infrastructure,” Wenberg said. “Being here to talk to the U.S. administration, and embassy in these ports along with the St. Lawrence Seaway administration means we can continue to target and support the infrastructure developments we need to support the Lakes system.”

For SSGA, this unique mission is only just beginning in further optimizing the St. Lawrence Seaway and will require collaboration from the region to find success.

“It really is a connection to Europe,” Wenberg said. “Sixty percent of the economy of the EU is within 500 miles of these ports in the U.S. If Europe wants to connect with our consumers in Toronto, Canada and Chicago and our eight Great Lakes seaway states, we have to build this trade force together.”

SSGA set for Manila mission

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The Philippines were one of the first countries SSGA explored to learn about Southeast Asian markets for identity preserved (IP) field crops and the first to participate in the IP B2B virtual business events during the pandemic. Now, the alliance will visit Manila, that country’s capital, Aug. 6-10 for a series of meetings and U.S. Identity Preserved Workshops with food manufacturers to promote high-quality, traceable grains and oilseeds from the United States and the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand label program.

The delegation includes SSGA board directors Chuck Kunisch (Michigan Agricultural Commodities) and Bryan Severs (Illinois Soybean Association), IP consultant Rob Prather and SSGA Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick, along with representatives of the organization’s global management team.

“We look forward to the opportunity to sit down with food businesses and not only talk about the U.S. Identity Preserved system, companies and crops, but listen to those companies and better understand how we can assist them in communicating the U.S. IP quality and value message to their own customers,” Frederick said.

SSGA plans meetings with a variety of importing companies, U.S. cooperator organizations working in the Philippines and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, and officials with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service posted in Manila.

SSGA also held a U.S. IP workshop in Tokyo during the FoodEx Japan trade show in March and is planning another for Kathmandu, Nepal, in September, hitting each of its primary target regions – North Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia before holding the second Identity Preserved International Summit Feb. 18-20, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

SSGA’s 2024 IP Workshops have been sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, North Dakota Soybean Council and Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board as part of their support of the Identity Preserved International Summit.

The U.S. Identity Preserved program receives support from the Illinois Soybean Association, Michigan Soybean Committee, Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, South Dakota Soybean Checkoff and Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, along with funding from a USDA Agricultural Trade Promotion grant and added support from the U.S. Soybean Export Council.

SSGA earns praise at Attaché Seminar

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SSGA had a chance to showcase itself as the U.S. Identity Preserved Alliance and differentiate identity preserved (IP) field crops to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) attachés during the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council’s annual Attaché Seminar on July 10-11 in McLean, Virginia.

SSGA sponsored and put on an immersion training session for attachés at the beginning of the conference. During the invitation-only session, SSGA staff and contractors discussed the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand mark; talked about retail package labeling; and demonstrated how IP field crops are differentiated through segregation, technical handling and traceability, giving customers choice for the ingredients in their high-quality food products.

Speaking on behalf of SSGA were Executive Director Eric Wenberg, Manager of Strategic Programs Shane Frederick, IP technical experts Raquel Hansen and Rob Prather and ICC global management contractors Susan Weller and Amy Burdett.

The training included hands-on experiences for attendees. Hansen asked the group to soak identity preserved and commodity soybeans in hot water at their tables to demonstrate the impressive consistency of IP beans that buyers appreciate. Prather did a grading sample, putting corn through a sieve to show the difference between a No. 1-graded field crop and a cleaner, “above-grade” IP product ready for specific food uses.

“This was a unique opportunity to introduce or, in some cases, re-introduce SSGA to FAS officers who are posted around the world,” Frederick said. “The more they know about this organization, its members companies and identity preserved crops, the more tools they have to assist companies in their assigned countries and connect them with U.S. exporters who can supply them with high-quality ingredients for their own high-quality food products.”

Additionally, there is a quality and traceability with the U.S. Identity Preserved brand that should resonate not just to the food manufacturer but to the consumers who purchase the finished product.

“Customers want to know where their food comes from and how it’s produced,” Frederick said.

SSGA received high marks for the presentation, according to initial post-session surveys.

Said one attendee: “The useful presentations (gave a) more clear explanation of what SSGA wants to accomplish.”

Said another: “Very informative about a growing segment of U.S. agriculture.”

The U.S. Identity Preserved program was created with USDA Agricultural Trade Promotion grant funding.

During a breakout session of Attaché Seminar, SSGA Manager of Transportation and Regulatory Affairs Gary Williams presented and moderated a panel entitled “A Global Look at Transportation Issues.” The panel featured Williams, Federal Maritime Commission Commissioner Max Vekich and Port of Virginia Director of Strategic Accounts Tyler Bemis.

Current challenges and opportunities and an outlook of global ag shipping were discussed, along with updates on the Ocean Shipping Reform Act that was signed into law in 2022. Williams and SSGA Chair Bob Sinner also visited other officials in Washington, D.C., to update them on programs and priorities of SSGA regarding agriculture shipping.

SSGA also joined USSEC and ASA-WISHH to sponsor the coffee and tea available throughout the seminar.

Member Profile: Tina Lyons, Double River Forwarding LLC

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Sometimes, predicting the future of market prices, crop yield or weather would be helpful.

While “The Simpsons” might be able to see the future, Tina Lyons didn’t foresee a pandemic throwing a wrench in her best laid plans when she founded her company back in 2008.

“I wanted to do something in international (business), and I didn’t quite know how it would turn out,” Lyons said. “It certainly hasn’t been easy. I think if I had known the pandemic was going to happen, I never would have done (this). There’s no way anyone could have known that (a few) years ago.”

She persevered through the challenge as the owner of Double River Forwarding LLC in Portland, Ore., shipping items like soymeal, corn gluten meal, grass seed and more.

“At some point you have to decide where your strengths are, and I had a lot of contacts in the ag industry in the Midwest, so I decided that’s what I was going to focus on, since that made the most sense,” Lyons said of starting Double River Forwarding.

Prior to launching her own business, Lyons started a wastepaper company in freight forwarding.  After working for a few companies, including a small commodity trading company, and seeing how it’s done, Lyons figured she could do it herself.

Through Specialty and Soya Grains Alliance (SSGA), she’s made connections and continues to engage with industry leaders around the country.

“I think probably the first conference that I went to was in St. Louis, and SSGA wasn’t in existence yet,” Lyons said. “A lot of people who now are in SSGA were in Midwest Shippers and that’s how I met everybody. They were advocating for so many of my customers in the Midwest, so it made sense to be a part of that and stay connected. That morphed into SSGA. I feel like you can really get a lot done and learn a lot because there’s such a willingness for everybody to help each other.”

After joining SSGA, she was appointed to the Competitive Shipping Action Team and named chair. Lyons said she’s not afraid to jump in to help and build relationships.

“There’s a lot of good people on that committee,” Lyons said. “That’s been a real honor. And that particular group of people, everybody in that committee is really smart and engaged and they show up to the meetings. They contribute by asking questions, and the committee is really moving forward on trying to tackle some of the problems we have in shipping out of the Midwest.”

Since joining SSGA, Lyons said she has seen a benefit to joining every day since.

Lyons said it’s difficult in the tight-knit freight forwarder community to get new business. But when new partnerships are secured, it’s rewarding knowing everyone has challenges and the customer’s business was earned.

“(Being a member of SSGA) gives me some support to make it through some of these hard times that we still seem to be going through, and to know that other people are out there that can help,” Lyons said.

ICC group will enhance SSGA’s international network

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SSGA is pleased to announce the addition of a global management team that will be working on the alliance’s behalf in implementing overseas programs, including promotion of the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance plan and brand, trade services for U.S. exports of high-quality, specialty grains and oilseeds, and other in-country assistance such as training and education and coordination with government officials, including USDA posts.

International Collaborative Consulting (ICC) presented an impressive proposal that covered both the Southeast Asia and North Asia regions, which will enhance SSGA’s overall international team.

Owned and operated by Amy Burdett and Susan Weller, ICC has great experience, background and expertise, as well as an excellent network of contacts, resources and sub-contractors they work with, which will help SSGA build an effective overseas program on behalf of its members. ICC is familiar with SSGA and its mission and strategy and is also very familiar with other USDA FAS-funded programs, which will help SSGA in contracting and compliance.

“The depth and breadth of ICC’s experience will greatly enhance the U.S. Identity Preserved brand and overall perception of high-quality, traceable field crops supplied by our member companies,” said Shane Frederick, SSGA’s manager of strategic programs. “After the groundwork for this program was laid through previous brand creation and technical assistance, ICC is undoubtedly the right team to take things up a notch.”

Burdett and Weller have nearly 50 years of combined experience in U.S. food marketing and international agriculture trade that spans trade organizations, the private sector and federal government. ICC works with several organizations to leverage USDA grant funding to entice global buyer purchases and resolve trade barriers. They connect with producers to explain the benefits and avoid the pitfalls of international exports.

Their international network includes colleagues with expertise in U.S. cooperator programming and activity implementation. The ICC team is at the ready to help with in-market work such as SSGA representation, trade servicing, event coordination, government communications and country program reporting, along with recruiting foreign attendees for the Identity Preserved International Summit that will take place Feb. 18-20 in Honolulu, Hawaii. ICC’s international colleagues have already begun training and getting familiar with SSGA and the U.S. Identity Preserved program. It includes:

  • Japan: Ms. Izumi Amano and Mr. Keiichi (Ken) Tanaka
  • Korea: Ms. Jennie Lee
  • Thailand/Southeast Asia: Mr. Kraipob Pangsapa

Ms. Izumi Amano

Mr. Keiichi Tanaka

Ms. Jennie Lee

Mr. Kraipob Pangsapa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ICC’s previous experience with SSGA includes completing a program evaluation on its U.S. Identity Preserved work in Asia in 2022 and leading the board of directors in a session to assess the alliance’s overall strategy, mission and vision in 2023.

The ICC team is here for SSGA members. Please reach out if you are traveling to meet customers and potential customers or for events in Asia for assistance. They are here to better connect you to the region! You can connect with them at aburdett@soyagrainsalliance.org or sweller@soyagrainsalliance.org. In addition, SSGA has regional emails for inquiries: North Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan) northasia@soyagrainsalliance.org and Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines) seasia@soyagrainsalliance.org

SSGA celebrates 5 years, holds board elections

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Since its inception 5 years ago, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) has led the way.

In 2019, the Midwest Shippers Association and Northern Food Grade Soybean Association (NFGSA) merged to form SSGA. Originally coined as the premier business alliance of U.S. companies focused on production, processing and shipping of specialty soya and grains worldwide, SSGA celebrated its accomplishments at its five-year anniversary celebration and annual meeting on March 12.

The meeting kicked off with agronomy presentations from Dr. Bryan Young, Purdue University; Dr. Andrew Scaboo, University of Missouri and Dr. Emily Bick from University of Wisconsin-Madison, who discussed innovations in pest management. Ohio farmer Chad Warner discussed his farm and the challenges and benefits of growing identity preserved in the producer interview.

Bob Sinner, SSGA chair, was joined by past chairs Curt Petrich and Rob Prather for a panel discussing the history of SSGA.

Led by Executive Director Eric Wenberg, the panel recounted the early days of the organization, when staff and board members tested out elevator pitches for what SSGA meant. Or when the newly hired Wenberg pointed out all of the reasons a program to assist with phytosanitary inspections would not work.

2024 SSGA Officers: Bryan Severs, secretary/treasurer; Bob Sinner, chair; Bryan Stobaugh, vice chair

That “impossible” phytosanitary program, now named the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) High Quality Specialty Grains (HQSG) program, launched in April 2023, generating nearly 1,700 phytosanitary certificates for U.S. companies exporting high-quality soybeans in containers. Eighteen companies are accepted to use the program, with several more in the certification process. SSGA administratively supports the HQSG program.

“This is the one organization that I have seen a direct ROI on an activity from,” Petrich said. “It’s created a much more efficient [processing] plant and has decreased costs by almost 70%.”

The trio of chairs also recounted other accomplishments of SSGA, such as the U.S. Identity Preserved assurance protocol and brandmark, SSGA University and SSGA advocacy around container shipping issues.

“SSGA has led the way,” Petrich added. “Without this organization a number of things couldn’t get done in this sector.”

SSGA also awarded its annual Alliance Honors. The Alliance Honors recognizes those who have made significant and sustaining contributions to the U.S. IP industry in 2023. These awards recognize stewardship, as well as advancements in transportation, IP and SSGA as an organization.

The Alliance Honor for Stewardship was awarded to the Illinois Soybean Association for their financial, physical and human resources to SSGA programs and meetings. The Indiana Crop Improvement Association was awarded the Alliance Honor for Advancing IP for its work to implement the U.S. Identity Preserved protocol, qualifying companies in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and others. Dr. Karl Kolb, president and chief technical officer of the High Sierra Group/Ceres University was awarded the Advancing SSGA honor for his volunteer work with SSGA to help a small U.S. tofu manufacturer overcome a difficult audit and inspection of its processing facility. The Alliance Honor for Advancing Transportation was awarded to Pamela Ryan of Stonebridge, Ltd., for leading the Competitive Shipping action team during a renewed shipping crisis.

Elections were held to fill two open seats on the SSGA board. Gail Donkers of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council was reelected to the board and Bryan Severs of the Illinois Soybean Association joined the board.

Severs was later elected by his peers to serve as the SSGA secretary/treasurer. Bryan Stobaugh of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council was tabbed as vice chair and Bob Sinner of SB&B Foods was re-elected to serve as the chair.

“Being able to work with the quality of people we have in the membership and on the board has been an honor,” said Sinner. “I am honored and humbled to serve as the SSGA chair for another year and look forward to what we can accomplish in 2024.”

New SSGA team member ready to make an impact

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Gary Williams and the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) have found each other at the right moment in time.

“This is a transformative organization,” Williams said.

After a lengthy career across the transportation and specialty grains industries, Williams took a step back from those pursuits during the past few years. But when SSGA and its management organization, Ag Management Solutions (AMS), launched a hiring search for a new director of transportation and regulatory affairs in early 2024, Williams felt the urge to return to an industry he knows best.

“The one thing I wanted to be assured of is, that whatever I did, I wanted to be able to have an impact,” Williams said during a break at the end of his first week on the job at SSGA’s headquarters in Mankato, Minn. “When the opportunity came forward to work with AMS and SSGA, that was something that I got really excited about, because with ag transportation, there are a lot of important crossroads that we’re both moving through and coming up on, so this truly was something that came along that will allow me to have an impact. That was a big ‘check’ for me.”

Eric Wenberg, SSGA’s executive director, said Williams is joining the organization at an ideal moment, as the national association marks its fifth year of operations while anticipating industry trends across the globe.

“With his position, Gary becomes the national leader for those who trade grains and oil seeds in containers,” Wenberg said. “We’re excited to stand behind him to help him improve the industry, and SSGA members and supporting allies should expect to see Gary a lot.”

A native of Ohio who grew up on a beef cattle farm as the son of a vocational agriculture teacher, Williams arrives at SSGA with more than 35 years of experience in the transportation of specialty grains across North America, including managing specialty grains and oilseeds for a three-state co-op.

“That (position) made specialty grains near and dear to my heart, especially on the oilseed side,” he said.

Williams has crossed paths SSGA staff and members in recent years. He’s supported SSGA’s programs and initiatives, most recently as a panelist at the inaugural Identity Preserved International Summit in January 2023 in Hawaii. He said he’s excited to work alongside Wenberg, who also celebrates five years with SSGA in March.

“Eric has a set of experiences and skills in a lot of areas that I can benefit from,” Williams said. “I think we’ll work really well together and complement each other with my experience on the commercial side of putting the seed in the ground to getting it to the destination countries or distributors, and Eric’s background of facilitating trade and ensuring that those barriers are removed. The beauty is that we can both lean on each other.”

In his spare time, Williams is an avid lover of nature and fitness who teaches outdoor education and guides trips with the Mount St. Helens Institute.

“My weekends are spent sharing the ecology, volcanology, geology and the culture of Mount St. Helens,” said Williams, who’s been married to his Australian-born wife, Danielle, for 25 years. “I also participate in a lot of longer-distance trail runs, particularly in the mountains. That’s where I like to spend my time.”

Williams will represent SSGA from his home near Vancouver, Wash. He’ll also work on behalf of AMS’ roster of clients from across the nation.

“I’m in great location, because the Pacific Northwest is such an important outlet for producers in the Midwest,” he said.

Williams will attend his first event since joining SSGA at the organization’s upcoming Transportation Go! Conference in Toledo, Ohio, where he’ll will have a chance to engage with SSGA board members and learn more about the organization’s key priorities in 2024 and beyond.

“SSGA is an example of associations and organizations needing to transform and be relevant,” he said. “I think that’s what you’re seeing with SSGA and why there’s growth and numerous new projects.”

Member Profile: Chuck Kunisch, Michigan Agricultural Commodities

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Born and raised in the thumb of Michigan, Chuck Kunisch has been involved in agriculture since he was very young. Growing up along Saginaw Bay, Kunisch and his family grew grain, sugar beets, dry beans, corn and wheat. ­

After attending Michigan State University to receive his degree in Dairy Science and Crops and Soils, Kunisch worked in the dairy industry before his company bought into a farm elevator. The elevator partnered with Michigan Agricultural Commodities (MAC) for marketing and expanded the operation. Today, Kunisch works with MAC as the specialty grain business development director and the corporate safety director emeritus.

Working for MAC, Kunisch has had the opportunity to travel to Japan and Asia to sell contracts. Kunisch has recently taken a step back from traveling, but with his new role, he will soon be making trips overseas again.

“I’ve met a lot of interesting people,” said Kunisch. “The West does business very differently and it was interesting to learn their ways.”

While trading with Japan, Kunisch learned that soybeans grown in Michigan near Lake Michigan and Huron face similar conditions to soybeans growing in Hokkaido, Japan, because of lake effect and the two areas being on the same line of latitude. Through this discovery, Kunisch was able to make more connections with the Japanese to sell food grade soybeans.

“We mirror the climate in Michigan and Southwest Ontario,” said Kunisch. “It works very well.”

Not only has Kunisch learned a lot from his time with MAC, but he has also learned a lot about the industry from being a member of both the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) and SSGA. Originally, Kunisch was involved with the Midwest Shippers Association, but joined SSGA when it first started.

“MAC has always felt it was important for us to be part of the grain industry and help promote what we do,” Kunisch said. “It’s very important to give back to our industry, so I’m going to continue to do that.”

While attending the Identity Preserved International Summit hosted by SSGA in Honolulu, Hawaii, Kunisch built relationships with others involved in the specialty soya industry. After the summit, he used those connections to help benefit MAC.

“When I went to the conference in Hawaii, I made at least two good contacts,” he said. “MAC has benefited from those relationships, because that is what business really is all about: relationships and networking.”

Two years ago, Kunisch received a spot on the SSGA board and was put on the specialty grains action team. After taking a step back from managing facilities, Kunisch felt it was time to take on more responsibility and get involved.

“This is my second year on the board, and I enjoy it a lot,” Kunisch said. “I’ve been very blessed to have that ability.”

Kunisch is excited to be part of an organization that is proactive.

“There are a lot of exciting things coming in export of food grade grains and beans, and SSGA helps people take advantage of those opportunities,” Kunisch said. “I’ve been very blessed that MAC has supported me in doing this.”

Member Profile: Pamela Ryan, Stonebridge Ltd.

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Pamela Ryan grew up in a musical family, which led her to pursue a degree in music education. However, after graduating from the University of Iowa, Ryan found an opportunity to work for Stonebridge Ltd. when a position opened. From then on, Ryan has found her career not in music, but in the soybean industry.

Growing up on a farm, Ryan always enjoyed spending time with the animals and getting lost in the corn fields. While her father drove truck, Ryan would accompany him every once in a while so that he could show her the ropes.

“I got to see the process of going someplace, picking it up, and going someplace else to drop it off,” said Ryan. “I always found it really fascinating.”

Ryan started out doing foreign documentation for Stonebridge but has found her way up the chain and now is the operations manager where she oversees export logistics, making sure that they have all the information to get the containers to their customers. Ryan also manages the IT department.

“With my auditor and organizational mind, it was a good fit,” said Ryan. “It’s been a very exciting journey.”

Ryan heard about SSGA when they first started. She felt that SSGA’s values aligned with Stonebridge’s and wanted to become a part of that mission.

“We wanted to make sure that we both supported and had the support of an organization that knows our story,” said Ryan. “They know what we were trying to promote to our customers.”

Soon after joining, Ryan was put onto the competitive shipping action team. With her combined knowledge of the shipping industry and her willingness to make a difference, she was the perfect fit. On the committee, the team talks about topics like vessel schedules and difficulties getting containers, among a variety of other topics.

“These were frustrations we (Stonebridge) dealt with every day,” said Ryan, who now chairs the committee. “I just thought that it was a good opportunity for me to, instead of complaining about it, see if we can find some solutions and find some answers.”

Ryan says that the committee is always interested in what the Federal Maritime Commission is doing to make global shipping and freight easier for exporters and how they support the work that the committee does. Currently, the committee is learning about a proposal to improve the rail system in the Chicago area, which would help container freights pass through the hub more efficiently.

“It’s a long process, but I think that will be exciting to see,” said Ryan.

Ryan has enjoyed her time on the committee working on improving the shipping process for soybean growers. She said her one bit of advice for soybean growers interested in the specialty market would be to join SSGA.

“SSGA supports anything that has to do with that quality grower,” said Ryan. “If you want an organization that gets what you do, wants to help you succeed, wants to help give you resources, that’s what SSGA is.”