Transitions in CHS European leadership team

ST. PAUL, Minn. — CHS Inc., an energy grains and foods company and the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative, has promoted Roger Baker to VP and GM of CHS Europe. The company also announced that SVP and CEO of CHS Europe Claudio Scarrozza plans to retire.

Scarrozza will remain with the company through December 2013, and serve as a consultant through calendar 2014. He joined CHS in May 2007 as SVP and GM of the company's first European office at Geneva, Switzerland. Throughout the course of his career, he established eight new CHS global offices, met with foreign dignitaries and government officials and orchestrated and navigated complex Black Sea region acquisitions, joint ventures and business relationships.

"Scarrozza has an incredible capacity to first envision the big picture and then lay the ground work to create traction in some very challenging environments and regions of the world," said Mark Palmquist, EVP and COO, Ag Business, CHS.

Palmquist said the next chapter of CHS-Europe will be led by Baker, who will be responsible for daily business management, grain merchandising operations and overall profitability. Baker's appointment is effective immediately and he will report directly to Palmquist.

"We are confident that Roger's strong management acumen, merchandising savvy, deep knowledge of CHS best practices and intense customer focus will greatly contribute to future success," says Palmquist.

Baker joined CHS in 1994 as procurement merchandiser and later led the company's global wheat desk. In August 2011, he was named CHS Europe senior merchandiser and relocated to Geneva.

Baker earned a bachelor's of science degree in agriculture business from Iowa State University at Ames.