Mary Kirtley Waters
President
North American Millers' Association
Washington, DC
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Mary K. Waters was named president of the North American Millers' Association (NAMA) in April 2010. NAMA is the non-profit trade association of the wheat, corn, oat and rye milling industries. Milling member companies operate mills in the United States and Canada. Member companies range from fifth generation family owned businesses to large agribusinesses. The aggregate production capacity of milling members is more than 175 million pounds of product daily, which is about 95% of the total U.S. capacity. NAMA also has Associate member companies that provide products and services to the mills. |
Previous to her appointment as NAMA's President, Ms. Waters was the vice president for corporate relations with the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (“Farmer Mac”) from 2005-2010. She has directed congressional, public outreach and communication efforts for the congressionally chartered company that provides a secondary market for agricultural mortgage loans.
Prior to Farmer Mac, Waters served as assistant secretary for congressional relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She was the primary liaison for food and agriculture to members of Congress and their staffs. Her four-year tenure at USDA also included coordinating the agency’s responses to homeland security efforts after 9/11 and food safety measures related to “mad cow” disease.
Ms. Waters spent fifteen years as senior director and legislative counsel in the Washington office of ConAgra Foods. She began her career in Washington as a legislative assistant on the staff of Congressman Larry Hopkins.
Ms. Waters received her Juris Doctor degree from the George Mason University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, Women in Government Relations, the Washington Agricultural Roundtable, and the Agribusiness Club.
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