ASA Executive Director for International Marketing Jim Guinn announced today that Kimball Nill has joined the American Soybean Association as Deputy Director for the International Marketing Department, a position previously held by Guinn. "Kimball brings to the ASA skills and experience that will strengthen the Association's ability to successfully market U.S. soybeans and soybean products in a highly competitive global arena," Guinn said.

ASA has a 12-member International Marketing staff located at its Saint Louis, Missouri, headquarters, and more than 90 foreign-based staff and consultants located in 14 overseas offices who work in 80 countries worldwide. ASA manages a $22 million market development program designed to increase demand for US soybeans and soybean products which last year totaled nearly $8 billion in exports. ASA's activities to expand international markets for US soybeans and products are made possible by producer checkoff dollars invested by the United Soybean Board and by various state soybean councils. ASA also receives cost-share funding provided by the US Department of Agriculture.

As Deputy Director for International Marketing, Nill will assist with development of strategic marketing plans to protect, maintain and expand foreign markets through the implementation of export programs and strategies to improve the quality and competitiveness of U.S. soybeans and products. Nill will also assist with evaluations, fiscal budget controls, coordinate activities among ASA's various regions and divisions to ensure uniformity and effectiveness, and communicate international issues to the media, state soybean associations and soybean producers.

Prior to joining ASA, Nill was International Sales Manager for Moorman's, Inc., of Quincy, Illinois, a marketer of soymeal-based livestock nutrition products. In that capacity, Nill developed and managed the company's marketing efforts on three continents, including compound feed product exports to South Korea, and products to Russia, Kazakhstan, and other Eastern European countries. Nill has worked to eliminate trade barriers under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and he accomplished registration of regulated products in four Mercosur countries in South America. Nill, originally from North Dakota, received his Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemistry from North Dakota State University, and a Master's in Business Administration from The Wharton School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania