Milling & Baking News - May 31, 2005 - 30

I A O M REVIEW

Everett Abercrombie of
Horizon Milling is 2005
Milling Operative of the Year
W

ICHITA, KAS. - Everett Abercrombie, Eastern region operations manager for Horizon Milling, L.L.C., Chattanooga,
Tenn., received the 2005 Milling Operative of the Year award
at the 109th technical conference of the International Association of Operative Millers May 3 in Nashville.
The award, presented annually for the past 20 years by Milling &
Baking News, recognizes an active milling operative who has made the
most significant contributions to the progress of his plant, his company
and the industry from an operating point of view. In addition to the annual honor, Sosland Publishing Co. establishes a $1,500 scholarship in
the winner's name at Kansas State University at Manhattan.
A 1962 graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in Milling Technology, Mr. Abercrombie began his career as a milling trainee at International
Multifoods Corp. in Salina, Kas. From 1965 to 1968, he was head miller at
International Multifoods in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, taking over as mill
superintendent for the company's Cleveland, Ohio, facility in 1969.
In 1972, he joined Seaboard Corp., where he helped build, start up
and manage the company's mill in Nigeria. Two years later he brought
his talents back to the United States, where he helped start up and manage Seaboard's mill in Port Allen, La. Between 1978 and 1982, he managed Seaboard mills in Albany, N.Y., and Chattanooga.
In 1982, he joined Cargill Flour Milling (now Horizon Milling) as
Southeast operations manager in Chattanooga when Cargill acquired
the domestic operations of Seaboard.
During the past 23 years he has served in
many capacities around the world, including operations manager in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and division environmental, health
and safety coordinator and Southeast operations manager in Minneapolis.
Since 1992, Mr. Abercrombie has been
Eastern region operations manager, and in
the words of a colleague, has been the company's "sea weary captain" who time and
time again has been relied on to weather
the storm, each time delivering.
He has played an active role in both the
technical and the food protection committees at the I.A.O.M.
Mr. Abercrombie will retire in August,
ending a 43-year career in the wheat
flour milling industry. But judging by the
numerous letters submitted on his behalf,
his impact on co-workers and the industry
will be felt for years to come.
In his nomination letter, Scott J. Mont-

Everett Abercrombie, Eastern region operations manager for Horizon Milling, L.L.C.,
Chattanooga, Tenn., accepted the 2005
Milling Operative of the Year award.

30 / Milling & Baking News, May 31, 2005

gomery, Cargill, Inc.'s vice-president of
operations for Dry Milling/Citrus, said
Mr. Abercrombie "has always been flexible and diligent enough to step up to the
plate wherever we needed his help."
Bruce Carlson, facility manager, Horizon
Milling, Mankato, Minn., wrote, "His approach to any situation since I joined the
company has been one of sincerity and a
can-do attitude that is catching. He reflects

'As changes occur in the flour
milling industry, he is constantly
looking for an edge. He is a
competitor who encourages
people to try different
approaches to problems or
opportunities. He mixes "old
school" milling practices with new
technology, but never loses sight
of what it is that flour milling is
all about.'
- Bruce Carlson, facility
manager, Horizon Milling.

what an operative miller is and should be:
knowledgeable about the operation and care
for those who care about what it is they do.
"He, in my opinion, represents what
every manager should be. His guidance
and thoughtfulness are consistent in application, and the offer of 'what can I do to
help?' or 'what do you need from me?' are
always offered.
"As changes occur in the flour milling
industry, he is constantly looking for an
edge. He is a competitor who encourages people to try different approaches
to problems or opportunities. He mixes
'old school' milling practices with new
technology, but never loses sight of what
it is that flour milling is all about.
"On top of everything else, he is a good
person. He enjoys life and those around
him tend to enjoy life as well. His story

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Milling & Baking News - May 31, 2005

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