Riceland Foods names Ben Noble Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Ben Noble has been named Riceland Foods’ executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Riceland President and CEO Danny Kennedy said Noble has played a very important role in redefining the company’s value-added strategy for the future.

“Ben has been a key player in creating a cross-functional team that drives our valued-added, consumer products strategy for our cooperative,” said Kennedy. “His leadership and passion for our farmer members and our employees make Ben the right person at the right time for Riceland.”

Noble joined Riceland as vice president of marketing and strategy in September 2017. He added the role of vice president of sales in August 2018.

His new role will oversee the company’s strategic direction, product innovation and day-to-day administrative and operational functions.

“I am honored to expand my responsibilities to better serve our farmer members and to lead our amazing employee team towards a brighter future,” said Noble. “As one of Arkansas’ largest employers, I am excited to grow our ability to feed the world with products that are sustainably grown, healthy, convenient and efficiently delivered from our farmers to tables across the U.S. and the world. When we all work together, we create the best possible outcomes for our employees, members, customers and consumers.”

A native of Ethel, Arkansas (Arkansas County), Noble began his career as an ag policy aide to former Arkansas Senator Dale Bumpers and former Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln.

He recently served as president of Noble Strategies, a Little Rock-based marketing and public affairs firm with agricultural-based clients including Tyson Foods, Monsanto, Con-Agra, Anheuser-Busch, Riceland and others.

He was the founding Executive Director of the Arkansas Rice Federation which includes the Arkansas Rice Council, the Arkansas Rice Farmers, and the Arkansas Rice Millers.

He lives in Stuttgart, Arkansas, with his wife, Kyle, and two children.