USA Rice Federation Takes International Promotion to The Next Level

ARLINGTON, VA, July 5, 2006 — Jim Guinn began work today as the new USA Rice Federation VP for international promotion. Guinn, who previously served as executive director of the US Soybean Export Council, replaces Jim Brow, who left USA Rice to pursue other business interests. Prior to working with the Soybean Council, Guinn was from 1986 to 2005 executive director of international marketing for the American Soybean Association (ASA), also in St. Louis.

Guinn has extensive experience administering market development and promotion programs through ASA offices located in nine countries with concurrent activities in 72 countries. He was responsible for a $25 million budget — including nearly $13 million in check-off board contracts and $12.5 million in USDA funding.

At ASA, Guinn was responsible for a staff of 24 in the home office and had oversight of 75-person international staff in nine foreign offices. As an ASA program manager stationed in Vienna, Austria, he planned, implemented and evaluated marketing and promotion activities for Central Europe.

“Jim Guinn’s brings 20 years of significant commodity marketing experience to USA Rice,” said Stuart Proctor, USA Rice Federation president and CEO. “He is a strategic thinker with extensive experience with Foreign Agricultural Service programs,” Proctor said. “We welcome him into our ranks.”

Guinn, who holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC, will be relocating to the Washington, DC, area with his family.

Falletta Returns as International Promotions Consultant

Jody Falletta will re-join the USA Rice Federation as a part-time consultant supervising programs in Mexico, Central and South America, Cuba and the Caribbean. She will also work with domestic food aid.

Falletta previously worked for USA Rice Federation as director of international promotion. Prior to that she worked for Colorado International Trade Office, Denver; and the U.S. Meat Export Federation, also in Denver. Falletta is conversant in Spanish and her overseas living experiences include Jordan, Argentina and Chile.

Falletta holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Colorado.

High-resolution photos ofJim Guinn and Jody Falletta are available.

USA Rice Federation is the national advocate for all segments of the rice industry, conducting activities to influence government programs, developing and initiating programs to increase worldwide demand for U.S. rice, and providing other services to increase profitability for all industry segments.