Andy Rash has been named vice president (U.S.), specialty ingredients at Alltech. The company announced new leadership roles within its U.S. specialty ingredients business that align the team in innovation, customer partnership and commercial execution while building on its strong foundation of exceptional people, the company said.
Alltech noted Rash’s strong background in the ag industry, with more than 20+ years of experience, during which he has navigated the complexity in today’s agriculture value chain, particularly in protein production. He has steered many leadership teams in agriculture across diverse segments, including animal nutrition and health, international business development, and agronomy and grain. Rash earned his master’s degree in ag education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his bachelor’s degree in agriculture sciences at Western Illinois University.
“Alltech’s technology and focus on innovation are second to none, and I have never worked alongside a team with such deep passion for our industry and commitment to customer success,” Andy Rash, vice president (U.S.), specialty ingredients, said in a release. “Together, we are uniquely positioned to help our customers navigate an increasingly complex marketplace, solve industry challenges and capture new opportunities for growth.”
The changes are designed to strengthen Alltech’s ability to serve its customers in an evolving marketplace, the company said.
“This structure sets us up to serve our customers with agility for the next five to 10 years and beyond,” explained Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “It is not enough to solve today’s challenges. We must anticipate what comes next, accelerate innovation and ensure we are positioned to meet our customers’ needs as they emerge. By putting the right leaders and teams in place today, we are building the foundation for long-term success.”
Additional new appointments to the Alltech U.S. leadership team include:
- Dr. Luke Miller, general manager, U.S. dairy: Prior to joining Alltech, Miller was the general manager for a 6,000-head, multi-site dairy in central California. Miller also spent eight years as a large animal veterinarian, where he became the practice owner. Miller received a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine from Michigan State University.
- Laurentia van Rensburg, general manager, U.S. beef: With more than 15 years of experience in the livestock and animal science industries, van Rensburg has served in various roles in South Africa, the Netherlands, Latin America and North America. Originally from South Africa, van Rensburg earned a master’s degree in animal science from the University of Kentucky.
- Curtis Novak, general manager, U.S. poultry: Novak started his career as an assistant professor at Virginia Tech, where he focused on the development of local, regional and national programs related to nutrition and management practices for commercial poultry. Prior to joining Alltech, Novak served as a lead nutritionist and, eventually, as manager of commercial poultry field sales and technical services at Purina Animal Nutrition.
- Mark Hulsebus, general manager, U.S. pork: With extensive experience in modern pork production, prior to joining Alltech, Hulsebus spent more than 20 years in senior roles at Cargill, most recently as the commercial director of pork in North America. He also served for five years as the live production manager at Tri Oak Food’s 70,000-sow system. Hulsebus earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science and agronomy at Iowa State University.
- CJ Tanderup, general manager, national/regional mills and co-ops: Tanderup first joined Alltech as a regional sales representative in the Dakotas and has served in a variety of roles during his time with the company, including as an on-farm sales specialist. With over 16 years of experience in animal agriculture, Tanderup holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from South Dakota State University.
- Jim Bannerman, director of national accounts: Bannerman brings more than 30 years of experience with Alltech, including leadership roles across diverse company portfolios, from feed to alcohol, as well as building the company’s national accounts portfolio.
