Damon Sidles, plant manager at Miller Milling Company, in Fresno, Calif., became the 110th president of the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) at the Association’s 118th annual conference and expo on May 22, in Omaha, Neb. After reflecting on the significant changes in the milling industry in recent months and his excitement about the resulting potential for the industry, Sidles announced the theme for his presidency: “Building and Sustaining our Organization.”
Sidles has been an active member of IAOM since 1993. He represented the Golden West District on the IAOM board of directors from 2008-2012, and has served as a member of the IAOM Technical Committee since 2000. He served as treasurer of the association from 2012-13; and vice president from 2013-14, during which time he was also president of the International Milling Education Foundation (IMEF), a philanthropic partner of IAOM. Sidles has served as a trustee of the Foundation since it was established in 2003.
Sidles is a native of Great Bend. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1991, with a degree in milling science and management. Upon graduation, he joined ConAgra Mills and moved with the company from plants in Decatur, Ala., Wabasha, Minn., Alton, Ill., Blackwell, Okla., and Oakland, Calif. In 1997, he started working at Miller Milling in Fresno, Calif., and took over as the facility’s plant manager in 2000. Sidles also serves on the board of the California Wheat Commission.
IAOM has been the leading provider of educational resources and training for the grain milling industry since its foundation in 1896. Through conferences, workshops, correspondence courses, short courses and publications, IAOM has played an integral role in the continued education and training of the professionals in this industry for 118 years. IAOM is an individual-based member organization with a 2,100-strong membership representing over 90 countries worldwide. With 16 districts around the world, IAOM provides an international forum for networking; the exchange of ideas, technical and educational opportunities; and the discovery of new products and services.