From staff reports
RENVILLE -- Kelvin P. Thompsen will succeed John A. Richmond as president and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative at the end of this year.
The cooperative's board of directors selected Thompsen after Richmond announced his plans to retire on Dec. 31.
Board members unanimously selected Thompsen on March 19 and he accepted the appointment on April 22, according to information from Mark Arnold, chairman of the board.
To facilitate an orderly transition, Thompsen will be named as president of the Renville cooperative on July 1, while Richmond retains the CEO position until the end of the year. Then, on Jan. 1, Thompsen will also become the CEO.
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Thompsen has been with the cooperative since August 2002, when he was named vice president of agriculture. He has served as chief operating officer since August and as general manager of Spreckels Sugar Company Inc., the wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative in California, since 2006.
Prior to joining the cooperative, Thompsen served in various capacities for Holly Sugar Corporation including corporate general manager-agriculture, district manager and agricultural manager at several factory locations in the Rocky Mountains and in California. Thompsen holds a bachelor's degree in animal science from the University of Wyoming, Laramie.
Thompsen currently serves on the board of the Beet Sugar Development Foundation and of the Sugar Association, as a trustee of the U.S. Beet Sugar Association, and as an active member of the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists.
Thompsen, his wife, Sateera, and his two daughters live in Willmar.P
