Management Team
Management Team
Samuel H. Rogers III, Co-CEO
Sam Rogers brings more than 30 years of sales, customer service, purchasing and packaging design experience to the Wilkins Rogers Mills' management team. He leverages his industry expertise in guiding the vision and strategic direction of the company. Prior to his tenure at Wilkins Rogers Mills, Mr. Rogers worked at Frank A. Serio & Sons, Inc., (now part of BakeMark, USA) and was responsible for managing the 200-unit national retail chain’s sales, purchasing and distribution co-op. Currently a member of the Board of Directors for the North American Millers Association, Mr. Rogers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Washington and Lee University.
Thomas A. Rogers, Co-CEO
Having worked for Wilkins Rogers Mills since 1987, Tom Rogers has firsthand experience with all of the business operations, including grain purchasing, milling, logistics, quality assurance and food safety. As a result, he is able to provide customers with insights and support on a multitude of topics ranging from milling issues to wheat prices. With a focus on grain purchasing (wheat and corn), outbound logistics, as well as flour sales and pricing, Mr. Rogers is committed to leading WRM into its second century, keeping pace with industry advancements in technology and food safety best practices. Mr. Rogers currently serves as chairman of the Soft Wheat Milling Committee of the North American Millers Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and an MBA from Georgetown University. In 2009, he completed the Buhler Executive Milling course at Kansas State University.
James E. Koehnlein, General Manager
After holding various finance positions with Wilkins Rogers Mills since 1984, Jim Koehnlein became General Manager in 2008. He is responsible for overseeing daily operations across sales, marketing, manufacturing, finance, technology, human resources and legal. Mr. Koehnlein started his career in the Baltimore office of Ernst & Young, providing audit services to a wide variety of public and privately held food companies. At WRM, his thorough knowledge of the business allows him to align the full breadth of Wilkins Rogers’ products, technical services and market insights to the specific needs of each customer. Mr. Koehnlein holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Baltimore and completed the Buhler Executive Milling course at Kansas State University in 2010.
Steve J. Friesner, Director of Sales & Marketing
Steve Friesner has worked for Wilkins Rogers Mills since 1994. As Director of Sales and Marketing, he is responsible for managing the sales of the company’s wheat and corn meal products, as well as leading customer service initiatives and overseeing the customer experience. His tenure in managing WRM’s retail, food service and commercial sales divisions has provided Mr. Friesner with a unique understanding of customer needs, as well as insight into how grain products are utilized by our customers. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from the University of Baltimore.
Aaron D. Black, Director of Operations
In 2000, Aaron Black was hired to manage Wilkins Rogers Mills’ plant operations at Mount Joy and was then promoted to Director of Operations to oversee all three manufacturing facilities. Mr. Black is responsible for developing the company’s operational policies and initiatives, including the oversight and implementation of all plant safety and food safety programs, technical milling and engineering services, new product development at all facilities and maintaining our high standard of customer service. He brings to his job 15 years of industry experience having worked for ADM Milling Company in various locations as a superintendent. He has been an active member of the International Association of Operative Millers since 1996 where he serves as international treasurer and is on track to be named international president in 2012. Mr. Black holds a Bachelor of Science degree in milling science and management from Kansas State University.
J. Michael Loverde, Director of Quality Control
A food industry veteran of more than 40 years, Mike Loverde has worked for Wilkins Rogers Mills since 1976. He oversees WRM’s quality programs for finished products and raw materials, including the testing of finished products and raw materials for adherence to specifications, nutritional and ingredient labeling, as well as verification of HACCP critical control points. In addition, Mr. Loverde provides customer support on product issues and new product research/development, while monitoring production and packaging processes day to day. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Johns Hopkins and is a member of multiple industry-related committees.
Nora L. Adams, Director of Food Safety
Nora Adams joined Wilkins Rogers Mills early in 2010 to organize, manage and direct plant programs in food safety and food security, including the company’s HACCP, GMPs, internal auditing and third party audit programs. She brought with her 20 years of experience in the food industry having served as a laboratory manager and quality control manager at Fleischmann’s Yeast, as well as quality assurance manager at McCormick & Company. Her expertise works to keep WRM and its customers apprised of regulatory requirements and best practices while focusing on continuous improvement of food safety systems to ensure that WRM delivers products that meet or exceed customer expectations. A member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), Ms. Adams holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Charleston.