CropLife America new board in place

The new board of directors and officers of CropLife American (CLA) for the coming year have assumed their positions and are already advocating for modern agricultural solutions that benefit American farmers and consumers, Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA, announced.

Vern Hawkins, president of Syngenta Crop Protection, was elected to begin his two-year term as CLA’s 45th chairman of the board. He is preceded by John Chrosniak, who was recently promoted to global business director, packaging graphics for DuPont Electronics & Communications. James Hay, regional business director, North America for DuPont Crop Protection, was selected to fill Chrosniak’s unexpired term after he transitioned to the new DuPont division.

Nevin McDougall, senior vice president of North America Crop Protection at BASF Corporation, will continue to serve as the board’s treasurer and vice chair. Also serving as vice chairs are Diane Allemang, executive vice president North America, global regulatory affairs for Cheminova, Inc.; and Dave Tretter, vice president for Crop Production Services, Inc. Eric Wintemute, president and CEO of AMVAC Chemical Corporation and former chairman of the board, is on the board as immediate past chairman.

CLA also recognized exceptional member company employees, allies and staff with awards during the annual meeting general session and farewell gala dinner on Tues., Sept. 24. Award recipients were nominated by industry professionals and selected by CLA leadership.

Named for the association’s first and longest-serving president, the Lea S. Hitchner Service Award represents CLA’s greatest honor. Margaret Cherny, retired vice president of regulatory and government affairs and communications for Bayer CropScience, and Bill Mahlburg, former director of government affairs for NuFarm Americas, Inc. and current president of RegVantage Strategies, received the Hitchner Award.

Mahlburg also received the Hitchner Award in 2004, and is one of only two individuals who has received the award more than once. Steve Goldberg, vice president and associate general counsel of regulatory law and government affairs for BASF Corporation, also received the Hitchner Award twice, in 1999 and 2003.