Grain Association Names Petersen as President

Grain Association Names Petersen as President

-- Headquarters to Re-Locate to Kansas City --

Washington, DC - June 16, 2008 -- The Transportation, Elevator, and Grain Merchants Association (TEGMA) today announced it has named Bob Petersen as its new president.  The association's administrative services had previously been handled by the Commodity Markets Council, formerly known as the National Grain Trade Council.  The transition of office operations from CMC's Washington, DC, office to Petersen's Kansas City area office is expected to take place in the near future.

TEGMA Chairman Mike Mandl said, "TEGMA is very pleased to retain Bob Petersen to manage our association.  We believe he can continue the professionalism and services that were so ably handled by CMC/NGTC for over 20 years.  As CMC charts a new path for its membership, TEGMA's Board felt it was in the membership's best interest that TEGMA move ahead on its own.  I want to personally thank CMC Chairman Tom Erickson and CMC President Mike Walter for their support and flexibility in this transition.  TEGMA wishes CMC nothing but the best in their future direction and we continue to strongly support their work.  TEGMA will continue as a member of CMC and we look forward to continuing our past practice of co-hosting meetings."

Mandl said the Board's decision to chart a new course came in the wake of an internal task force which reviewed the Association's past direction and discussed ideas for the group's future.  Mandl commented that TEGMA intends to be more sharply focused as a group of grain unit train shippers, receivers, ports, rail carriers and other transportation modes working collaboratively on operational and business issues.  As part of this new strategy, the Association's first priority will be to broaden its membership base.

In naming Petersen as it new president, TEGMA has retained Petersen's company, Petersen Consulting Services, LLC, to manage the association's activities.  Bob Petersen noted, "This is a real pleasure for me to re-connect with colleagues in the grain industry."  From 1980 through 2000, Petersen worked for the National Grain Trade Council and served as president of the association for the latter 18 years.  It was during his tenure there that NGTC began providing TEGMA with administrative services. 

TEGMA was originally organized in 1918 as the "Terminal Elevator Grain Merchants Association."  Mandl commented that, "TEGMA respects its 90 years of history serving the grain industry and we intend to build upon the work of all who have gone before us to renew the association's mission, direction, and relevance to the industry."

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