Wheat Marketing Center Hires New Technical Director

The Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) recently announced the selection of Dr. Jayne Bock as its new Technical Director. Starting in late October, Dr. Bock will lead WMC’s research and technical training efforts focused on demonstrating the value of U.S. wheat produced across the country.

WMC Managing Director Janice Cooper said, “Dr. Bock was selected after a lengthy international search. She possesses an excellent set of research skills, technical expertise and communication abilities that will help move WMC programs in new and exciting directions.” Cooper is particularly pleased that Bock has a depth of experience with soft wheat quality and end products, including crackers and biscuits.

Bock is an experience research leader with a specialty in grain and flour quality. Bock earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food science at Kansas State University and her Ph.D. in Food Science at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She spent several years at the University of Guelph as an Adjunct Professor and, more recently, as Global Technical Leader with Brabender Instruments, as well as a consultant with Chopin Technologies. Bock is also active in wheat industry associations, including AACCI, and has co-authored an impressive list of refereed publications.

“I enjoy the challenge of communicating complicated technical issues to diverse audiences and am very excited to be joining the WMC team,” said Bock.

WMC Board Chairperson Bill Flory, an Idaho wheat grower, looks forward to welcoming Bock at the WMC board meeting Oct. 18 in Portland, Ore. “WMC’s technical expertise in research and product development is highly respected around the world. Dr. Bock’s background and experience are an excellent fit to help WMC meet the evolving challenges of our customers and wheat producers,” said Flory. “Jayne will be a great addition to our existing group of dedicated professionals.”

Created in 1988, WMC is technical crossroads of the wheat world linking wheat producers, consumers, millers and end product manufacturers. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) works with this educational partner to identify U.S. wheat market needs and provides technical training courses for customers. The two organizations also work together every year to provide crop quality analysis and data for soft white (SW) and hard white (HW) wheat. Read more about this partnership here.

Everyone at USW wishes Dr. Bock the best of luck in this new position and are looking forward to working with her.

For more information about the Wheat Marketing Center visit www.wmcinc.org.