Diamond V brings in new, returning experts
Iowa-based natural feed additive company Diamond V has been expanding its staff with a series of recent hires throughout the company.
The company saw Doug Smith return as director for Europe poultry food safety in May. Previously, he had been a food safety director with the company.
He also spent time as a faculty member at North Carolina State University and the University of Georgia and currently works with Clemson University through the Extension Service.
He brings to Diamond V’s European business unit a background in food safety. He will be focused on developing and implementing food safety programs for egg and poultry producers, food companies and retailers along with working to limit risk of campylobacter, salmonella, and E. coli.
Smith is based in the Netherlands.
The company also is welcoming Bucky Gwartney as the new director of protein food safety research. In the position, he will oversee global meat quality and food safety research for all production species and proteins.
Gwartney earned his masters’ degree and PhD from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Before coming to Diamond V, he was with the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service in the standardization division where he played a role in creating meat and livestock standards for the red meat industry. He also was the deputy director and science adviser for the US Trade Representative in agricultural affairs and worked with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Frank Looff joined Diamond V in June and is set to work with the company’s European team as a technical sales support manager. He is set to work with dairy producers, veterinarians, feed manufactures and nutritionists and to help the company develop its ruminant market in several countries.
Originally from Germany, Looff has a background in finance accounting, agricultural science and animal production. He worked previously for Pioneer.
In August, Diamond V also brought in new members for its team in Mexico, adding both Alvaro Ramirez and Sergio Rueda as technical support and sales.
Both are set to provide help with poultry and swine.
Ramirez has a veterinary degree from the Universidad de Guadalajara (University of Guadalajara) and a master’s degree in aquaculture nutrition at the Universidad Autonoma de Nayarit (Autonomous University of Nayarit), in Mexico.
Previously, he was a sales manager for Suma International and worked in sales for the veterinary pharmaceutical raw material industry in Mexico.
Rueda has a veterinary degree from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (The Metropolitan Autonomous University) and a specialty degree focused on poultry from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (National Autonomous University of Mexico).
Before coming to Diamond V, he delivered technical assistance for Grupo Nutec and was a field researcher for Boerhringer Ingellheim.