Ardent Mills begins executive shakeup with new operations VP

14-Nov-2019 - Last updated on 14-Nov-2019 at 15:17 GMT

Ardent Mills has helped bring heirloom grains back into the fold for commercial bakers, including US-grown quinoa. Pic: Ardent Mills

The heirloom grain miller has promoted Cargill veteran Troy Anderson to VP of operations, marking the start of a process to carry the young company into the future.

Anderson had been serving as the senior director of operations for Ardent Mills since its formation in 2014. He transitioned to the new venture after more than two decades in various roles at Cargill, one of Ardent Mills’ founding companies – along with CHS, Conagra Mills and Horizon Milling.

Former VP of operations Brad Allen retired in May.

CEO Dan Dye said Allen had been ‘instrumental’ in building Ardent Mills’ foundation, but his retirement opened the door for “a new leader that understood our past, and also understands our long-term vision.”

One of Anderson’s main ambitions will be to ‘intentionally align’ the company’s mills in both size and configuration. He will also focus on educating the network on best practices and collaboration.

“The honor of delivering a nutritious food ingredient that feeds millions of people every day makes for an extremely rewarding career,” said Anderson, who holds a degree in milling science and management from Kansas State University. “I am filled with excitement about this new chapter at Ardent Mills and look forward to actively leading our operations team in living out our vision and mission.”

Another Cargill veteran, Mark Kruger, also joined the Denver-based miller at its inception. He was promoted to be the VP of human resources and employment law, in continuation of the company’s ‘people-first vision.’

Ardent Mills growing and changing after five years

Dye told press at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in September that changes were afoot.

“We feel we’re at a time where we need new perspective – fresh looks from a different angle,” he said, adding the company would be scrapping its COO role for a chief growth officer. That move has become increasingly common for major CPG players.

At IBIE, Dye also stressed Ardent Mills’ focus on people – whether that be the farmers growing quinoa in Colorado and White Sonoran Wheat in the northwestern US, or the administrative team in Denver – and the modernization of aging mills.

“Things are changing around us very rapidly; we have to change as well.”