|
 |
|
|
R.J. O'Brien's Commercial Agri-Business Group consists of experienced
individuals who have earned the respect of colleagues and competitors
alike. Listed below are brief biographies of the key members of our team.
|
|
|
Bob joined RJO in 1998, bringing 15 years of experience in the
agricultural industry to the firm. Bob previously worked for the
Pillsbury Company and Harris Futures. As a full member of the CBOT,
Bob is now responsible for handling clients directly from the floor,
working in tandem with Tony Danielak, who executes RJO's orders in
the pit. Bob received his B.S. degree in Business Administration from
Marquette University.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Tom Joined RJO in 1999 as a Registered Commodity Representative. In 2001,
Tom created the Hog Marketing Division to specifically service commercial
hog industry accounts. As a member of The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Tom
services customers directly from the floor of the CME providing market
analysis, profit protection (risk management) advice and trade execution.
Prior to RJO, Tom managed the Farm Marketing Division of Packers Trading Company.
There he gained valuable insights of both the hog futures and cash markets.
As an Accounting graduate of Michigan State University, Tom earned his CPA in
1993. However, Tom decided to forego a career in public accounting, preferring
the challenge of trading livestock futures.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beir Chen joined R.J.O’Brien in November 2002 as Director of
China Markets. He brings 9 years of experience in commodity trading
to the company, along with good insights into risk management for
cash, futures, options hedgers and speculators. Beier earned an MBA
in international business at the University of Illinois in Chicago in
2000. Previously, he worked for several years at Marc Rich in China
as a senior trader, joining the firm in 1997. Beier started his
career in China as a lawyer in 1993 specializing in international
business law.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jim joined RJO in 1996, bringing a strong background in cash grain marketing and risk management to the firm.
He has extensive experience in trading corn, soybeans, soft red winter wheat and sorghum. Jim worked for Continental
Grain Company from 1983 to 1992, where he managed the company's feedgrain position. Jim also worked for Harvest
States from 1992 to 1996, where he developed the export program for corn and oilseeds from the Great Lakes and
Mississippi River system. Jim holds a B.A. from St. John's University and a Master of International Management
from the American Graduate School of International Management.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tony brings 20 years of experience in the commodity futures industry
to RJO with extensive experience in dealing with commercial
agricultural clients. He has served as the Managing Director of
Pillsbury's clearing operations, Floor Manager for Cargill at the
CBOT, as well as an independent pit broker at the CBOT and the
Minneapolis Grain Exchange. Tony is responsible for filling RJO
client orders at the CBOT. He received a B.S. in Agricultural
Economics from the University of Illinois.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Matt is currently working as an options broker for RJO's Commercial
Agri-Business Group. He is a full member of the CBOT and fills
futures and options orders on the grain floor. Matt also oversees a
commercial execution desk on the floor of the CBOT. Matt came to RJO
in 1991 as a runner and has learned the business from the ground up,
working as a trade checker and phone clerk along the way. Prior to
joining RJO, he worked for National Field Marketing Inc. in New York.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark Metzger has joined RJO after 28 years experience in the cash
commodities industry. Most recently as vice president for Pradium,
Inc./Rooster.com, where he was responsible for product and customer
development. Before Pradium, Mark was the general manager of an
Iowa-based introducing broker and has been involved in cash grain
trading in numerous domestic and international markets. He received a
Bachelor of Business Administration from Baldwin-Wallace College of
Beria, Ohio.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Randy joined R.J. O'Brien in February 2000 and is responsible for the
fundamental research of the grains and oilseeds markets for the
Commercial Agri-Business Group. His research is regularly relied upon
to aid in structuring risk management techniques for commercial
clients. Prior to R.J. O'Brien, Randy was Senior Grains Analyst for
Merrill Lynch for over 7 years, providing all fundamental research in
coarse grains and wheat. As Senior Analyst, Randy has given numerous
presentations to industry groups and agri-business clients relative
to his analysis and outlook of the futures markets. Prior to Merrill
Lynch, Mr. Mittelstaedt was an assistant analyst with Shearson Lehman
Brothers in Chicago. Randy received a degree in Finance from Illinois
State University.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin joined RJO in 2002 with 8 years experience of providing commodity risk management for grain elevators and
end users, largely focusing focus on futures, options and cash markets. Prior to joining RJO, Kevin was a commodity
risk manager with Agri Grain Marketing LLC, the joint venture firm between Cargill and AGRI Industries. Kevin
received his BS in Agricultural Business from Iowa State University and his MBA from the University of Iowa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Craig Sielaff, Senior Vice President of RJ O’Brien since 1995, has nearly three decades of risk management experience.
Craig utilizes futures and options to lock in margins for his clientele to run their businesses’ more profitably.
Craig also manages a wide variety of renewable fuels’ plants to secure the price of inputs and outputs. Craig applies a
wide array of unique software to manage the needs of his customers. His clientele consists of international customers in
Canada, South Africa, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. Craig was born and raised in rural Iowa and holds a B.A. in
Economics/Political Science from the University of Iowa and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International
Management in Glendale, Arizona.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dave joined R.J. O’Brien as the Director of Technical Research in 2007 following a career that began in 1981 at Geldermann, Inc. where he provided technical research and sales services to institutional users of financial futures and options until 1995. After stints at Optima Research and TJM Institutional Services, Dave served as Director of Technical Research, Foreign Exchange & Metals at UBS Investment Bank from 1998 to 2005 before leaving for CEC Capital, an emerging CTA.
Dave brings extensive technical research expertise to R.J. O’Brien, spanning the commodity, interest rate, FX, and equity asset classes utilizing momentum, sentiment, Fibonacci, and Elliott Wave technical disciplines. Dave graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Business Management/Finance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zsolt joined R.J. O’Brien in 2005, bringing 8 years of experience in cash merchandising and producer marketing.
Zsolt is responsible for the Producer marketing Program for R.J. O’Brien, and servicing his elevator and end-user
clientele in the upper Midwest. He previously worked for Continental Grain Co. and later on for Cargill, where he
was originating wheat, corn and beans, and later on was the communications specialist and risk manager for the
producer advisory service. Zsolt received his Master’s Degree in Agricultural & Applied Economics from the
University of Minnesota.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Julie joined R. J. O'Brien in 2004. Her responsibilities include risk management in
renewable fuels as well as country elevator and farmer brokerage business. Before
joining R. J. O'Brien, Julie was with Cargill for 28 years in various trading and risk
management positions. Her experience includes 15 years of country elevator marketing
management and education, 7 years with Cargill's Corn Processing Division in price risk
management, 5 years as Corn Product Line Manager for a Cargill JV(AGM) and most recently,
risk manager for farmers in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. Julie is a Series 3 and 30
licensed by the CFTC and NFA.
|
|
