IAOM 2026 Educational Sessions
Wednesday, April 15 | 7:30 a.m.
Leading Through Structural Change
Sheryl Wallace, Ardent Mills
Agriculture operates in a world shaped by structural commodity cycles influenced by production conditions, input costs, global trade dynamics and evolving customer needs. In today’s challenging environment, the most effective companies are not those trying to anticipate every market shift but those that bring clarity amid uncertainty, balance long-term direction with near-term adaptability and collaborate responsibly across the value chain through transparency and shared understanding to address the forces reshaping the industry.
For millers and grain-based ingredient suppliers, developments in the Ag and Food system directly affect sourcing, processing, quality assurance and operational planning. At the same time, today’s demand landscape marked by shifting consumer preferences, cost pressures and economic cyclicality introduces additional complexity. From Ardent Mills’ vantage point in the middle of the supply chain, real-time visibility into both demand patterns and supply dynamics reinforces the importance of shared context across the grain chain. While different segments experience these cycles in distinct ways, alignment around market fundamentals, trade realities and customer needs enables the broader system to function reliably and efficiently.
In Sheryl’s keynote, she will explore how reframing the operating environment as structurally dynamic rather than temporary or transitory can strengthen decision making, spark innovation and enhance coordination that builds resiliency and efficiency across the supply chain. Her focus is on how leaders interpret, prioritize and act in these conditions to achieve operational excellence and emerge stronger. She will highlight the role leaders play in clearly assessing the operating environment, identifying the most consequential headwinds and opportunities and enabling better planning and holistic execution. The discussion reinforces the enduring purpose of the agricultural and milling sectors and their capacity to support the food system through periods of disruption, transformation and growth.