Author: Tony Gaertner

Eric Knott “Enjoyed supporting the community with my team at the annual Saginaw Train and Grain Festival! We handed out samples from our customers to the community and also judged the Bake Off Competition! We wrapped it up with hosting the City of Saginaw and members from our sister city in Banjul, Gambia. #team #community“

Published by WORLD-GRAIN.COM 09.30.2022

BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA, US — Joe Girdner has been named president and chief executive officer of Miller Milling Co., effective Oct. 1. He will succeed Takuya Mitani, who is returning to Nisshin Seifun Group in Japan.

Girdner has more than 30 years of experience in grain and transportation, including the past nine years at Rogers Foods Ltd. He most recently was president of Rogers Foods Ltd. since 2017 and will continue to hold that position after joining Miller Milling Co. Earlier, he was vice president of logistics and procurement at Rogers Foods, and has worked as the project manager for Rogers Foods’ milling operation expansion in Chilliwack, BC.

“Miller Milling Co. is excited to welcome Joe to our team,” the company said. “Joe has been a trusted colleague for many years at our sister company Rogers Foods, and we look forward to continuing Miller Milling’s success under his leadership. Joe has a strong leadership team to work with at Miller Milling.”

Founded in Minneapolis in 1985, Miller Milling got its start providing durum semolina to large customers through regional destination mills. In 2012, Miller Milling became a part of the Nisshin Seifun Group of Japan.

Miller Milling operates five facilities in the United States and ranks fifth in the nation in daily flour production capacity at 86,600 cwts, according to Sosland Publishing Co.’s 2022 Grain & Milling Annual. Its largest mill is in Winchester, Virginia, US, which is the country’s 10th largest mill with a daily production capacity of 26,500 cwts.Rogers Foods, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Nisshin Flour Milling Inc., has flour mills in Armstrong and Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, which have a combined daily wheat flour production capacity of 13,600 cwts and wheat storage capacity of 420,000 bushels.

Minneapolis Public Schools Needed Help!

The corporate headquarters staff decided to support the needs of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) as our initial Community Service Project. 

There are over 35,000 students in the Minneapolis district with many thousands from single-parent or low-income families.  The need for these basic supplies is significant.  The support consisted of collecting and donating basic school supplies.     

In early August corporate employees began dropping off donations of these basic supplies.  Simple things like glue, scissors, pencils, pens, paper, folders, markers, ear buds, etc.   Other items included sanitation wipes, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and Kleenex for teachers to use.   

In addition, Miller Milling donated $1500 to supplement the supplies and purchase 50 backpacks to support the effort!  

Pack the Pack Event

Eleven corporate staff members gathered on August 18 to organize the donated items and selectively fill the backpacks with needed school supplies.   

All remaining items and the bulk sanitation supplies purchased by Miller Milling were dropped off at the MPS offices in north Minneapolis!   A very full SUV of supplies! 

The “Pack the Pack” Team!