ISA hires new trade, exports manager

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Soybean Association has named Eileen Urish as trade and exports manager.

Urish earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture consumer economics, policy international trade and development from the University of Illinois. She also earned a minor in food and agribusiness management.

In her former role as project manager for the Illinois Pork Producers Association, Urish coordinated IPPA-sponsored events with lead staff throughout the year, specifically the Illinois Pork Expo.

She assisted the executive director with legislative issues and Political Action Committee Outreach, oversaw the Employee Betterment Initiative and Community Co-op funding programs, and worked with the director of membership to coordinate the annual membership drive and address member concerns.

As trade and exports manager for ISA, Urish will work to increase the engagement of ISA in the trade and export space by collaborating with farmers, exporters, foreign consulates, soybean buyer teams and partner organizations.

Urish will act as staff lead for foreign trade teams coming to Illinois and managing the relationship with the ISA team and external organizations also involved with the trade teams; she will collaborate with the internal market development team, communications team and ISA contractors to manage ISA’s trade and exports program; and she will work with the director of market development to manage ISA’s relationship with international trade partners, including U.S. Soybean Export Council, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, U.S. Meat Export Federation and others.

“Eileen’s addition to our team in the role of trade and exports manager is a major milestone for ISA,” said Andrew Larson, market development director.

“For the first time, ISA will have at least two full-time employees devoted to developing markets. This will allow ISA to be even stronger working on behalf of Illinois soybean farmers in the No. 1 demand driver of soy from Illinois.”