12/20/05 Cissell hired as United American CEO

Julia Cissel is the new Chief Executive Officer of the United Potato Growers of America. Cissel takes over from interim CEO Jerry Wright who has been the co-op leader since its inception last March. Wright will now be able to concentrate on his role as CEO for the United Fresh Potato Growers of Idaho. ESPLIN "Jerry Wright as CEO did not have time to do what Idaho needed done when he was traveling all over the country to other state organizations and now he can concentrate on some key issues here and marketing and sale consolidation and a lot of the other programs they're working on." That's spokesman Keith Esplin who says that Cissel has more than 20 years of business experience including twelve with Monstanto. One of her first tasks will be to locate and then set up an office for United of America in Salt Lake City, where she now lives. Board members from all major potato growing regions can get to Salt Lake easily, it's where United's lawyer is located and it's where United of America will hold most of its board meetings. Her hiring also shows that the national organization is not controlled by Idaho. ESPLIN "I don't think there was any problem short term. People knew it had to start somewhere but we want to make sure that everyone knows that it's not just an Idaho organization and that the effort does continue to progress in the rest of the country." Esplin says it will take several months to make the completed transition from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott