KSU IGP Institute Names Associate Director

Leading the administrative initiatives of the Kansas State University’s IGP Institute is Associate Director Shawn Thiele.

He had been serving in the interim associate director role and plans to continue leading the grain processing and flour milling curriculum.

“Shawn has served as a great ambassador for the IGP Institute and the Department of Grain Science and Industry to all our constituents,” says Gordon Smith, IGP Institute director, and grain science department head.

A Kansas State University milling science graduate, Thiele first joined the team in 2012 as the operations manager for the Hal Ross Flour Mill and then shifted his responsibilities to serving as the grain processing and flour milling curriculum manager in 2016.

In 2018, he added the responsibilities of interim associate director. Prior to his return to Kansas State, Thiele worked in the oat and corn milling business for eight years at Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids, IA.

“I am fortunate to work with a talented team of professionals at the IGP Institute. In this joint position, I hope to continue to strengthen and expand the IGP Institute’s trainings and foster new educational partnerships,” Thiele says.

In 2018, the IGP Institute offered 72 courses for 1,512 participants representing 52 countries. These trainings focused around grain processing and flour milling, feed manufacturing and grain quality management, and grain marketing and risk management.

Trainings were offered both on-site and via distance. In speaking about Thiele’s leadership, Smith says.

“Shawn is a proven technical expert in milling operations who continues to offer his leadership skills to all our curriculum areas," he says, adding that Thiele is guiding the efforts to meet the IGP Institute mission of providing technical, research-based training benefitting industry professionals globally and enhancing the market preference for U.S. grains and oilseeds.

Along with guiding the training efforts, Thiele serves as the liaison with the IGP Institute stakeholder partners that include the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Soybean Commission, Kansas Corn Commission and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission.

“Shawn has done a great job in developing and maintaining strong relationships with the IGP Institute commission partners,” Smith says. “It's exciting to have Shawn in this role permanently and I am looking forward to his continued leadership.”