By Julia Debes and Ralph Loos
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announced today the promotion of two staff members to key posts in Southeast Asia and the addition of two international staff members. The shifts reflect a shared commitment across USW’s global operations to build on recent momentum, continue to grow demand for U.S. wheat and drive innovation in the organization’s market development activities.
“The staff promotions and additions we are announcing today reflect our commitment to attracting and retaining talented and dedicated global staff that deliver exceptional technical support and trade service,” said Mike Spier, USW president and CEO. “This strategic step makes sure that we have the right expertise in place to drive innovation across our offices and continue delivering the real-world value for U.S. wheat farmers and global customers alike.”
Tyllor Ledford
Tyllor Ledford will move to Manila in late spring to assume the role of assistant regional director for South and Southeast Asia. Ledford currently serves as the market analyst in the USW West Coast Office in Portland, Oregon, where she analyzes complex wheat trends and bridges information gaps. Through her work on the weekly USW Price Report, she provides the reliable, timely insights necessary to foster mutual understanding between domestic producers and international buyers. She joined the organization as the assistant director of the USW West Coast Office in August 2021 before assuming her current role in January 2023.
“Expanding our team in South and Southeast Asia reflects USW’s commitment to meet the growing demand for U.S. wheat in this dynamic region,” said Brian Liedl, USW vice president of overseas operations. “Tyllor brings valuable wheat market expertise that will strengthen our market development efforts and enhance our strong partnerships with the flour milling and baking industries, supporting the growth of U.S. wheat exports across all classes.”
Ledford earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural applied economics from Texas Tech University. Her research on the nexus of food security and conflict received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis award from the Southern Association for Agricultural Economics. Ledford is a native of Colorado, growing up on her family’s farm where they raised quarter horses and irrigated alfalfa.
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