ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — Charles B. “Chip” Knappen III, Luke A. Marano Sr. and A. Bruce Roskens have been awarded honorary membership in the North American Millers’ Association. Honorary membership is given to individuals with outstanding records of achievement and years of valuable service to the milling industry.

Knappen joined Knappen Milling Co., Augusta, Michigan, US, as a full-time employee in 1972. In 1979, he was named president and chief operating officer, and several years later became president and chief executive officer.

Knappen served for three years as chair of the soft wheat committee through the transition from the Millers National Federation (MNF) to NAMA, and was on the boards of both the MNF and NAMA. In addition, he was president of the Michigan Millers Association, the oldest milling association in the United States.

Marano acquired Philadelphia Macaroni Co. in 1960 and later founded Minot Milling at the age of 73. He continued to work until his 93rd birthday and passed away on April 21, 2020. Marano was chairman of the National Pasta Association and was instrumental in the creation of the International Pasta Organization. In 1992, he was awarded National Pasta Association “Pasta Man of the Year.”

Roskens retired earlier this year as director of crop sciences for Grain Millers, Inc., Eden Prairie, Minnesota, US. Roskens joined Grain Millers in 2012, after more than 36 years with PepsiCo, Inc., including time in the company’s Quaker Oats and Frito-Lay divisions.

Roskens has been an active member of NAMA’s corn and oat divisions and was on the NAMA Executive Committee, the NAMA Technical Committee and chaired the annual NAMA Corn Dry Milling Conference. In 2012, he was honored by the plant breeding industry by having an oat variety named for him called AAC Roskens.