GrainPro, the mission-based agricultural company names new President

Jordan Dey chosen as new President; Philippe Villers steps down after 23 years and transitions to Board position

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Aug 01, 2019, 10:07 ET

CONCORD, Mass., Aug. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The GrainPro Board of Directors announced the appointment of Jordan Dey as President of GrainPro, Inc., effective September 1, 2019. Current President Philippe Villers will transition to Board Chairman and Senior Fellow.

GrainPro (www.grainpro.com) is a mission-based company dedicated to reducing hunger and poverty through the safe handling of dried agricultural commodities. The company is committed to sustainable growth through environmental stewardship and social impact.

"It has been my life work to focus on improving the livelihoods of small farmers through the safe storage of grains," said Mr. Villers. "I will continue to support GrainPro and the efforts of the entire global team to help farmers and their families improve their lives by safely storing their hard-earned harvests."

Villers led the company's growth from a two-person operation in 1996 to a global company today with sales and operations in the USA, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Jordan Dey

, currently Vice President of GrainPro, has been with the company since 2010. Before joining GrainPro, Dey was a senior official with the UN World Food Program ultimately leading the US operation. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor to the US Ambassador to the United Nations at the State Department, spearheading efforts to improve the lives of refugees and internally displaced persons.

"I'm honored to build upon the work of Phil and the GrainPro team," said Mr. Dey. "Agriculture is the largest economic activity for more than a quarter of the world's population. We must do more to support their efforts to grow healthy food for their families and to make agriculture a sustainable livelihood. I look forward to expanding our impact across the globe, reducing hunger and poverty for small farmers."

GrainPro corporate headquarters will relocate to Washington, DC., maintaining an office in Concord. The Board hired Jim Sherblom, former VP/CFO of Genzyme Corp., as interim CFO through 2020 and elected Ambassador Chris Goldthwait as Vice Chairman.

GrainPro manufactures post-harvest management systems suitable for organic, chemical-free storage, solar-drying, and transporting of dry agricultural commodities worldwide. GrainPro's patented airtight technology ensures that valuable commodities are handled in a moisture protected, insect-free, and mold-free environment and can maintain quality, taste and nutritional value of dried food for years.

GrainPro's Board of Directors also includes:

Geeta Aiyer, Founder and President, Boston Common Asset Management.
Ambassador Chris Goldthwait (retired), Consultant in global food security.
Linda Habgood, Managing Director, Delphos International.
Arlene Mitchell, Executive Director, Global Child Nutrition Foundation.
Rev Dr. James Sherblom, former VP/CFO Genzyme Corporation.
Renée Vassilos, Founder and CEO, Banyan Innovation Group, Agribusiness consulting.