LOWELL, MICHIGAN, US — James Doyle has been named president of King Milling Co. He succeeds Brian Doyle, who has been president of the company since 1995.

With the changes, Brian Doyle, who turned 65 earlier this year, will become chairman of King Milling. Brian Doyle also very recently was elected chairman of the North American Millers’ Association.

In other promotions announced by King Milling, Patrick Doyle has been named executive vice president of the company and Regan Doyle has been promoted to vice president of operations.

Jim Doyle was first employed at the mill when he was 15 years old, and he continued working at the mill through the summers of his high school and college years, He graduated in 1981 from Michigan State University, East Lansing, with a degree in business. He completed a three-week IAOM/Kansas State University milling short course in 1983.

At King Milling after college graduation, Jim Doyle was named vice president of grain procurement, a title that later changed to senior vice president and then executive vice president. He had held the latter assignment for three years before his elevation to president.

“My responsibilities have been mostly on the purchasing side, include wheat (and hedging), packaging, etcetera as well as overseeing many aspects of our capital projects,” Jim Doyle said. “We mill four classes of wheat. A lot of it is sourced by rail so it is a little more complex than some mills.”

Jim Doyle also took a leadership role in developing the company’s food safety policies, programs and training.

In addition to his work at King Milling, Jim Doyle was president of the Michigan Millers Association, president of IAOM (2005-06) and chairman of the Michigan Agri-Business Association (2019). He currently is the only non-grower who sits on the Michigan Wheat Promotion Committee, an appointment by Michigan’s governor. This committee oversees the Michigan wheat check-off program.