Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast would like to share that longtime CEO Tim Hamilton has announced plans to step down at the end of 2022.  Tim began his career at Food Export-Midwest in 1991 and has served as the organization’s senior executive for most of his 31-year tenure.  Tim also has served as Food Export-Northeast’s CEO since the formation of the strategic alliance with Food Export-Midwest in 2000. 

Steve Wellman, President of the Food Export-Midwest Board and Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, conveyed the importance of Tim’s contributions to the organization and to the wider agricultural export community: “Throughout Tim’s distinguished career at Food Export-Midwest, he has positioned Midwest U.S. agricultural and food suppliers for success in exporting to global markets that are increasingly looking for safe, innovative, and high-quality food products that our region offers.  He has done this by investing in exporter education, developing in-market expertise in key export markets to enable connections between U.S. suppliers and foreign buyers, and advocating for market promotion funding.  His steady and innovative leadership has both raised the profile and contributed to the growth of U.S. processed food exports.”   

Amanda Beal, President of the Food Export-Northeast Board and Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, shared these comments on the impact of Food Export-Northeast’s growth in local economic development: “Since Tim took on the leadership of Food Export-Northeast, the organization’s annual funding allocation from the Foreign Agricultural Service/USDA’s Market Access Program has grown by over 350%.  The importance of this large increase lies not just in its size; it’s also in the fact that Food Export-Northeast has been able to support hundreds more Northeast suppliers each year in growing their exports.  In turn, those suppliers have contributed to their local economies through increased employment and purchases of products from the region’s farms, fisheries, and supporting industries.” 

As Tim moves on, the Boards and staff of Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are committed to continue carrying out the mission of the organizations with the high level of professionalism and dedication that Tim has helped to foster. The Boards of the two organizations have begun a search for a new Executive, and Tim has offered to assist with a smooth transition into 2023.  

We kindly invite you to send any tributes to Tim to CEOrecognition@foodexport.org.  Please respond by September 9, 2022.  They will be shared with him at recognition events in the coming months.