CHICAGO — A little more than a year after Archer Daniels Midland Co. realigned its business segment into four units, the company is making yet another transition, this time to three units. Effective July 1, ADM’s Origination and Oilseed business operations will be folded into a new unit called Ag Services & Oilseeds. The company will continue to operate its Carbohydrate Solutions and Nutrition business segments.
The new business unit will be led by Gregory A. Morris, formerly president of oilseeds for ADM. Mr. Morris joined ADM in 1995 and has held several senior-level merchandising and management positions across three of the company’s business units. Prior to his current position, he led the launch of what was then known as the company’s Wild Flavors and Specialty Ingredients business unit. Before that, he was president, North American Oilseeds Processing.
Stefano Rettore, who had led the Origination division as president since March 2018, has decided to leave the company for personal reasons.
“ADM’s ability to provide value through the entire supply chain — from origination to processing to transportation to ingredients and solutions — is what sets us apart from others in the industry,” said Juan Luciano, chairman and chief executive officer. “Bringing the unparalleled strength of our global origination, global trade and destination marketing businesses and our transportation network together with our leadership in oilseeds processing and value-added product mix is a natural evolution. This helps us better integrate the supply and value chains to deliver significant simplification and efficiency to the day-to-day business.
“I am personally committed to the strategic value that simplification can bring to our organization and feel our ability to accelerate purposeful value creation within ADM has never been greater.”
The oilseed operation refocus comes shortly after ADM’s realignment of its U.S. flour milling footprint. In late April, the company announced plans to close one of its two Minneapolis flour mills as well as its flour mill in Salina, Kas. The announcements come several months after the company began production at its modernized flour mill in Enid, Okla., and a few months before commissioning a completely new flour mill in Mendota, Ill., about 90 miles west of Chicago.
ADM also recently made changes to its grain group leadership. Wesley Uhlmeyer, president of the grain group since March 2016, stepped down on April 22 for personal reasons. Christopher L. Boerm, currently president of ADM’s transportation group, added the title of president of grain. Relocation of the company’s sales and commercial staff members of ADM Milling Co. was also recently thrown into the mix. The staff members will be relocated to ADM’s North American headquarters in Decatur, Ill., from ADM Milling offices in Overland Park, Kas.