Riceland Foods announces leadership transition; McGilton named CEO

Riceland Foods announced Friday (Dec. 8) a leadership reorganization under which the board of directors has appointed Kevin McGilton as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

He replaces Jason Brancel as CEO. Brancel was named to the position in 2022.

McGilton previously served as Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief of Staff. He spent 20 years of his career with Riceland, traveling the world to sell rice as VP of Export Sales. He began his career in the rice industry in 1995 with Louis Dreyfus in McGehee, Arkansas.

Prior to joining Riceland, he worked for USA Rice in Washington, D.C.

“We are immensely confident in Kevin’s ability to lead our cooperative during this transition, and the entire Board of Directors stands behind him in support of his new task,” said Vice Chairman of the Board, Rich Hillman.

“As a Board of Directors, we value every member of our team and member of our cooperative as the driving forces behind our success,” said Chairman of the Board, Roger Pohlner. “We are committed to fostering an environment where every voice is heard and respected. The Board has considered the experiences of both Members and Employees and determined that a change in leadership is the right step to ensure Riceland’s legacy as the largest miller and marketer of rice will continue a trajectory of growth and value to its membership for years to come.”

Riceland Foods is the world’s largest miller and marketer of rice serving 5,500 farmer members in Arkansas and Missouri.