Washington Grain Commission CEO Glen Squires will retire Nov. 1 and Casey Chumrau will take his place.

Chumrau, the current Idaho Wheat Commission executive director, will join the Washington commission in mid-September to work with Squires to transition into the role.

“It’s just time for me and my wife to do some other things,” Squires, 64, told the Capital Press. “We’re going to spend more time with our grandkids. It’s a good time with the commission — the board is solid, there’s no new elections coming on. I think that will be good for the person coming in to have that stability for a little while.”

“The Washington Grain Commission is an incredible organization that has always been a leader in the grain industry,” Chumrau, 38, told the Capital Press. “They have a very active and engaged board and provide a lot of great opportunities, not only for me professionally but also personally. I am looking forward to this challenge.”

“Glen was just such a positive force. … He just lived and breathed the Washington Grain Commission and he’s just had such good relationships with all of our markets in the Asia-Pacific Rim,” commission board chairman Mike Carstensen said.

Squires has worked for the Washington commission for 29 1/2 years. He has been CEO for 10 years.

Chumrau will be the fourth CEO since the Washington Wheat Commission was created in 1958, “which is pretty amazing,” Squires said.

“She’s the next up-and-coming generation that maybe can take our grain commission where it’s at, and go to the next level,” Carstensen said. “She has a (lot) of experience in the grain industry. I think she’ll be a very good addition.”

Chumrau joined the Idaho Wheat Commission in 2020. Before that, she worked for U.S. Wheat Associates, the overseas marketing arm of the industry, as a market analyst and South America marketing manager.

“My experience in Idaho has been incredible,” she said. “This is such a wonderful state. The commissioners are professional and such wonderful people, and they’ve afforded me a lot of opportunities that have allowed me to grow professionally and prepared me for this next stage, and I thank them for that.”

“While we are sad to see her go, we understand that this is an incredible opportunity for Casey. We could not be happier with the direction she took the wheat commission while at the helm and her leadership as she stepped into her role during an interesting and uncertain time,” Clark Hamilton, a Ririe wheat grower and Idaho commission chairman, said in a press release. “The wheat industry is very lucky to be keeping such a great professional.”

The Idaho commission hopes to have a replacement on board as soon as possible, Chumrau said.

She will exit the Idaho commission Aug. 30 for her new job in Washington.

“Glen leaves huge shoes to fill and a lot of experience and institutional knowledge,” she said. “Glen has set the commission up for long-term success, so I expect to come in, take some time to really assess and see where I can be of help. I know I work for the commissioners, they have a great vision and I’m looking forward to implementing their ideas.”

During his tenure, Squires worked to develop strong working relationships with the commission’s industry partners, including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington Wheat Foundation, the state Department of Agriculture and Washington State University.

The commission in 2018 signed an agreement with the Japanese Flour Millers Association to commit to further developing club wheat varieties through increased technical exchange.

“I think that was significant,” Squires said. “That was a huge accomplishment and it’s something that is ongoing and productive.”

Club wheat, a subclass of the soft white wheat grown primarily in the Pacific Northwest and Washington, is a key component in Japanese products.

Japan is the top market for Western White wheat, a blend of soft white wheat and club wheat.

Squires also pointed to establishing an industry brochure that identifies preferred wheat varieties and celebrating the commission’s 60th anniversary by asking flour millers and baking companies worldwide to bake cakes using soft white wheat or Western White wheat to illustrate the benefits of the wheat Washington farmers grow.

“It’s been an honor to work on behalf of the growers,” Squires said. “Thank you for letting me be part of a fantastic, remarkable industry that’s providing food for people all over the world.”