In his new position, Watanabe has succeeded Naoto (Nate) Masujima as executive general manager of the division. Masujima has been named executive officer and division executive of the General Administration Division at Nisshin Seifun Group Inc., also effective June 1. Nisshin Seifun is the parent company of Nisshin Flour Milling.
Additionally, on June 28, Masujima will become a director of Nisshin Seifun Group, transitioning from his position as an executive officer. He will retain his position as division executive of the General Administration Division.
The announcement follows another one in April in which Nisshin said Watanabe would be succeeded as Miller Milling Co. president by Jeffrey D. Thomas, effective June 1. At the time, Nisshin said Watanabe would return from the United States (Miller Milling is based in Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S.) to become an executive at Nisshin in Japan but did not specify what role he would assume.