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At their recent summer meeting in Galveston, the US Rice Producers Association (USRPA) Board of Directors selected Mollie Buckler to serve as the new President and CEO, replacing Marcela Garcia, who is stepping down effective Sept. 1. Buckler joined the USRPA staff in 2021 and has held the position of Chief Operating Officer since 2022.
A two-time graduate of the University of Missouri and native of the Missouri Bootheel, Buckler’s agricultural roots run deep on both sides of her family, including rice production. Buckler and her family currently reside in Sikeston, MO, making her the first USRPA President and CEO to reside in the Delta.
The USRPA Board of Directors also elected new officers for 2023-2025. Eric Hover of Harviell, MO will serve as Chairman. Mark Pousson from Welsh, LA, will serve as Vice Chairman and Galen Franz of Victoria, TX is the new Secretary-Treasurer. The board thanked Neal Stoesser from Raywood, TX for his service to the association during the past two years.
