RIDGWAY, COLORADO, U.S. — Erica Olson, a marketing specialist with the North Dakota Wheat Commission, has been elected chairman of the Wheat Foods Council (WFC) for 2013-14.

Olson, who was WFC vice-chair in 2012-13, has been with the North Dakota Wheat Commission since 2006. There she is responsible for handling promotion activities for foreign buyers, including making arrangements for trade teams and gathering and disseminating to customers and growers relevant data, market analysis and marketing information. Olson was raised on a family farm near Mohall about 45 miles north of Minot, just south of the Canadian border. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics.

“Erica will be a great leader for the Wheat Foods Council, and her strong marketing background will be an important asset in the coming year,” said Judi Adams, president of the WFC. “The Council will be continuing our focus on the dietitian community, while also expanding to incorporate extension agents and consumer affairs representatives in our public relations outreach.”

Elected vice-chairman of the WFC was Cindy Falk, a nutrition educator for the Kansas Wheat Commission. Falk has extensive experience with the WFC, having served as a board member since 1993 and as chairman in 2002-03.

New to the executive board in 2012-13 is Don Brown, vice-president of sales, ConAgra Mills. He was elected secretary/treasurer of the WFC. Brown has been with ConAgra since 1982. He began his career in the grain industry as a grain merchant for Coast Trading Company at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange.

Elected immediate past chair of the WFC was Brent Robertson. Robertson and his wife Amy are growers, raising wheat and corn on multiple farms in Nebraska. He is a member of the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association and the Nebraska Farm Bureau.