Garland New General Manager for Sidney Sugars

American Crystal announced that Dave Garland accepted the position of General Manager of Sidney Sugars Incorporated effective October 8, 2012. According to the announcement, Garland will be responsible for overseeing the management of all factory site operations, including agriculture, operations, packaging and warehousing, maintenance and security to ensure the production of quality sugar and agri-products while ensuring factory profitability.

Garland is excited about his new position and welcomes the challenge of running the plant. He has been serving as interim manager since June. “It gave me the opportunity to see the job before it actually became mine,” he said. “It’s been good, a real advantage, already knowing the plant, and all those working here.” He knows the challenges that he faces, but says, “I’m up to it. I want to continue the trend of Sidney Sugars, of being the productive and quality plant it has always been,” he said. “We have lots of good people, and lots of new people. Getting everyone trained and up to speed is always difficult, and of course retention is an issue.”

He appreciates the generous support he has received from everyone at the plant as well as the corporate office.

Garland graduated from high school in Quito, Ecuador where he attended boarding school at the Alliance Academy. His parents were missionaries to Venezuela and Columbia, and he recalls his childhood with very fond memories. “It was an experience I have always treasured,” he said.

Garland went on to graduate from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He started at the Sidney plant in 1996 as a trainee, transferred to Torrington, WY where he was the Technical Services Manager and returned to Sidney in 2003 as the Technical Services Manager.

Garland lives in Sidney with his wife Tracy and their two daughters Afton and Gabby.