ARLINGTON, VA. — A Kansas wheat farmer has stepped into the top leadership role at U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), taking the gavel as the organization’s new Board of Directors chairman.
Gary Millershaski, who farms in Lakin, Kansas, was officially installed as USW chairman during the group’s three-day summer meeting held in Fargo, North Dakota. The gathering also included updates from state wheat commission members and USW staff, covering topics such as budget planning, long-range strategy, transportation, and wheat quality. The full board convened on June 25, with discussions on global supply and demand, food assistance programs, and reports from USW leadership.
Millershaski succeeds North Dakota wheat farmer Jim Pellman in the chairman’s seat and will hold the position for one year.
USW President and CEO Mike Spier spoke highly of the incoming chairman. “Gary has been an active board member and a valuable voice on the officer team – he is a strong representative for U.S. wheat farmers,” Spier said. “He has visited many global markets and established relationships with wheat buyers around the world. This kind of engagement serves the mission of USW to build export demand for wheat. We look forward to his continued contributions to our work that benefits wheat farmers in his home state of Kansas and beyond.”
Millershaski farms alongside his wife Jana and their sons Jeremy and Kyler. Together, the family grows hard red winter wheat, hard white wheat, and dryland corn and milo, while also running a cow/calf operation. He became a Kansas Wheat Commissioner in 2016 and later served as its chairman. He also held a director position with the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers (KAWG) from 2007 to 2017, an organization that had previously awarded him a scholarship while he was part of the Class VIII Kansas Agricultural and Rural Leadership (KARL) program. More recently, he took part in the industry-focused Bayer Leadership Program, which aims to foster collaboration and readiness for global agricultural challenges.
Millershaski reflected on his time as vice chairman as he steps into the top role. “In my role as Vice Chairman, I’ve learned a lot from working alongside Jim Pellman, our U.S. Wheat staff around the world and the state partners that support our efforts,” he said. “My goal as Chairman is to meet more of our customers and continue to raise awareness of the high-quality wheat we grow.”
The full officer lineup for the 2026/27 term was chosen during the January winter board meeting in Washington, D.C. Alongside Millershaski’s elevation to chairman, Mike Carstensen of Almira, Washington, moved up to vice chairman, while Jim Pellman of McClusky, North Dakota, shifted to the past chairman role. Mark Jossund, a farmer from Hendrum, Minnesota, was newly elected as secretary-treasurer. All officers officially began their terms on June 25 following the installation ceremony.
