FARGO, N.D -- American Crystal Sugar Company's board of directors had an unexpected shake-up in its board leadership after the annual shareholders' meeting on Dec. 1, but officials were quick to answer that the change didn't happen because of any dissatisfaction with the company's handling of its union impasse.
Robert Green, 57, of St. Thomas, N.D., was elected chairman of the board. Steve Williams, 60, of Fisher, Minn., was elected vice chairman. The board includes 15 members.
Green represents the Drayton factory district. He has been a sugar beet grower since 1976. He is also a director of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association and served 12 years on the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association board.
Williams has been a board director since 2006. He has farmed near Fisher, Minn., since 1987. He also serves on the ASGA board and was national president from 2006 to 2008.
The two replace former Chairman Neil Widner, 60, of Stephen, Minn., a director from the Drayton district, and former Vice Chairman Curt Haugen, 50, Argyle, Minn., from the East Grand Forks district. Both will remain on the board.
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A leadership shakeup is unusual, but not unprecedented, Green said, after the reorganization meeting. He acknowledged advanced planning preceded the change. "It was not impetuous."
But he said "absolutely not" when asked if it had to do with the labor dispute, which just entered its fifth month. "We are actually in lock-step with management on this," Green said. "There is unanimity on the board," he said. "There has been from the beginning, and it continues today. We are in agreement that we need a contract that reflects a competitive, complicated workplace."
Green chalked up the leadership change as "typical board dynamics at work." He said he's pleased that Widner remains on the board. He described his colleague as a "huge contributor" and said the board will "expect a lot out of him in his final year."
Green said Crystal will work toward a renewed, effective sugar program, as well as biotech seeds for sugar beets and the "successful conclusion of a new labor contract with our unionized workers."
