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Melvin L. Gould,
Director, Commodity Marketing Services
From 1974 to 2000, Mr. Gould held senior executive positions within
the Prudential Insurance Company’s agricultural operations, where
he pioneered Prudential’s involvement in acquiring and managing
farmland for pension funds. From 1990 to 1993, while based in Memphis,
he had responsibility for Prudential’s farmland equity investments,
and when those operations were moved to Chicago in 1993 Mr. Gould
became responsible for all of the company’s agricultural business
development and asset management. From 1985 to 1990 he served as Vice
President, Agricultural Investments for Prudential, managing the sale
of $900 million in farm real estate. |
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James W. Sanders,
Director, Farmland Investment Services
Mr. Sanders is President of American Land Resources, LLC, a closely-related
agricultural real estate investment firm. From 1972 to 1987 he held
various positions with Western Farm Management and its successor,
Doane-Western Company, including President and Chief Operating Officer.
His responsibilities at Doane-Western, one of the world’s largest
farm real estate and mortgage companies, included appraisals, loans
and management. In 1987 Mr. Sanders formed Sanders Associates, a consulting
firm involved in farm and ranch management, land acquisition and sales.
The firm specialized in adding value to properties through water rights
transfers, land conversions and other long-term planning opportunities.
Mr. Sanders also has worked extensively with the Nature Conservancy,
Trust for Public Land and the American Land Conservancy, giving him
broad background in today’s important land environmental issues. |
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Patrick M. McCarthy,
Food Company Alliances Consultant
Mr. McCarthy most recently was a private consultant to several food
and beverage companies. From 1968 to 1995 he served in various executive
capacities with Ocean Spray Cranberries, one of the world’s largest
agricultural cooperatives. He ultimately was Director of Marketing
and the officer in charge of overall profit responsibility for the
cooperative. During his 27-year career with Ocean Spray, it went from
a $65 million single product business to a $1.2 billion multi-product
organization. Mr. McCarthy received Food and Beverage Magazine’s
Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions to the
food industry. Earlier he held various executive positions at Wilkinson
Sword, Carter Products and Vick Chemical Company. |
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William H. Schmitt,
Value Enhanced Commodities Consultant
Mr. Schmitt is Vice President of Research and Development of Unilever-NA,
a $4.5 billion division of Unilever, and serves on the Global Category
Board with responsibility for establishing Unilever’s masterbrands.
Mr. Schmitt previously served as Vice President of Research and Development
for Elizabeth Arden and as a Director of Research, Domestic Division
with Chesebrough Pond’s. His long career at Unilever includes
serving as Acting Chief Operating Officer of Chesebrough Pond’s
Business Unit and Senior Vice President of Research and Development
and Quality Control for Unilever Personal Care USA. Earlier in his
professional career he held research positions at G.D. Searle and
Alberto Culver. Mr. Schmitt served as Chairperson of The Cosmetic,
Toiletry and Fragrance Association’s Scientific Advisory Board,
and received the Robert Ring Lifetime Achievement Award for service
to the industry. He is the holder of numerous patents in his field.
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Jerry D. Conner,
Value Enhanced Commodities Consultant
Mr. Conner is a private consultant with 29 years prior experience
as an account manager for some of the world’s best-known brands
in retail, service and packaged goods. He has numerous long-term relationships
with senior marketing management, presidents, CEO’s and chairmen
based on his career with two of the world’s leading advertising/marketing
agencies. Most recently, Mr. Conner was Executive Vice President and
Group Account Director at Foote, Cone & Belding, managing marketing
responsibilities for nine clients ($150 million billings). Clients
included Applebee’s International, Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Company
and IBP, Inc. During his 25-year tenure at Leo Burnett Company, Mr.
Conner’s responsibilities included serving as Executive Vice
President and Worldwide Account Head of McDonald’s, responsible
for the lead global agency for McDonald’s covering the U.S. and
19 other countries. Earlier he served as Vice President and Account
Director for Nestle, and Account Executive and Account Supervisor
of Swift & Co. and Starkist Corp. |
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