Key Team Members
Greg Mellinger
Chief Executive Officer
Greg Mellinger is the chief executive officer of Soyatech. As CEO of HighQuest Partners, LLC, Soyatech's parent company, Mr. Mellinger works with Fortune and Global 500 manufacturing, industrial conglomerate, banking, asset management, insurance and financial service clients to help envision new strategies and achieve key business goals related to growth, M&A, management excellence, and corporate governance. Mr. Mellinger oversees HighQuest Partners’ consulting, marketing, and back office operations to ensure high client satisfaction, quality, and productivity.
Prior to founding HighQuest Partners, Mr. Mellinger served in senior executive capacities at two other large Northeast-based consulting firms (PRT Group and RCM Technologies) specializing in business re-engineering, outsourcing and application development solutions for Fortune and Global 500 corporations. During that time, Mr. Mellinger developed and led novel consulting practices of several hundred consulting professionals. His primary responsibilities included leading large consulting practices, driving the M&A function and overseeing firm wide shared service operations.
Prior to his consulting career, Mr. Mellinger was an infantry officer in the US Army stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington and at Fort Benning, Georgia. Mr. Mellinger has also served as a Board and Advisory Committee member of several large publicly traded and privately held organizations. Mr. Mellinger received a B.S. in European History from The United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
Contact Greg at: gmellinger@highquestpartners.com.
Chris Erickson
Managing Director
Chris Erickson is managing director of Soyatech and a partner of HighQuest Partners. Since 2006, Mr. Erickson has been responsible for the formation of the highly regarded Soyatech conference programs. In addition, he oversaw the redevelopment of Soyatech's website and the creation of the Soyatechevents portal.
Prior to joining HighQuest Partners, Mr. Erickson worked for Abbott Labs in sales and sales management positions. Before joining Abbott Mr. Erickson served four years in the US Army as an armor officer assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division. He held various direct leadership roles as a platoon leader and executive officer. Before leaving the service, Mr. Erickson was assigned as the senior logistics officer of a tank battalion, with direct oversight of the budget and all non-combat resources.
Mr. Erickson received his MBA from Georgia Southern University and B.S. in Marketing from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.
Contact Chris at: cerickson@highquestpartners.com
Keri Hayes
General Manager and Publisher
Keri Hayes is associate publisher and production manager at Soyatech. Ms. Hayes duties over the last 13 years ranged from layout of the Soya & Oilseed Bluebook and editing newsletters to hand coding the original website at Soyatech.com. Her current role focuses on assisting Soyatech clients with their promotional needs through advertising, conference participation and online recognition. As production manager she oversees the creation of the annual directory and works with the marketing department on Soyatech's promotional materials.
Prior to joining Soyatech, Ms. Hayes worked at a local newspaper as the production manager and sportswriter. She received a B.A. in Communications from Muhlenberg College.
Contact Keri Hayes at keri@soyatech.com.
Joe Jordan
General Manager & News and Information Director
Joe Jordan is news and information director for Soyatech. Mr. Jordan is responsible for the selection of news stories that are contained within the award winning Soyatech eNews Daily and Soyatech eNews Weekly.
In addition, Mr. Jordan is responsible for the selection of topics and materials that are presented at the highly acclaimed annual Soya & Oilseed Summit. Mr. Jordan has also presented briefings on the oilseed industry at several international conferences, most recently in South Africa in conjunction with the WISHH foundation.
Contact Joe Jordan at joe@soyatech.com.
Ann Parker
Sales Director
Ann Parker is sales director for Soyatech. She has broad responsibility for the range of marketing opportunities available in The Soya & Oilseed Bluebook, this web site, Soyatech eNews Daily and Soyatech eNews Weekly and Soyatech-produced events such as the Soya & Oilseed Summit and Critical Insight Webinars.
Contact Ann Parker at aparker@soyatech.com.
Philippe de Lapérouse
Director of Global Food and Agribusiness Practice
Philippe de Lapérouse is director of HighQuest Partners’ Global Food and Agribusiness Practice and St. Louis, Missouri office. Mr. de Lapérouse has more than 20 years experience in senior leadership positions with global companies in the agro-industrial and value-added food chain as well as in private equity investing. Prior to joining HighQuest Partners, Mr. de Lapérouse was a principal at Vanikoro Advisory LLC where he advised clients on their financial and global expansion strategies.
Previously, as director of business development for Bunge North America, Inc., the North American operating arm of Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG), he was responsible for the company’s efforts to expand its industrial operations into Mexico and the Caribbean Basin, biotech and e-commerce initiatives and public relations/corporate communications (before and after Bunge’s successful IPO in 2001). Mr. de Lapérouse was also associated with the Fund for Large Enterprises in Russia (FLER),a private equity fund investing in Russian enterprises and joint ventures with Western companies, where he was responsible for the firm’s flagship Moscow office and overseeing investment activity, and Ralston Purina International (industrial and consumer packaged goods), where he held senior line management positions in both the United States and Europe.
Mr. de Lapérouse received his M.B.A. from The Darden School of Business at The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia and his B.A. from Trinity College, in Hartford, Connecticut.
Contact Philippe at pdelaperouse@highquestpartners.com.
M. Denis Hill
Interactive Media Manager
M. Denis Hill is interactive media manager of Soyatech, managing and implementing enhancements to this web site, Soyatech's eNews, and other communications and information technology projects.
A 40-year career most recently included producing aviation training videos and interactive media with US Navy contractor Delex Systems, Inc. He has also been content publisher for Etera, leading a team that produced information and tutorials for 1,000 gardening websites. Earlier, Mr. Hill worked in the California and Russia as vice president and chief information officer for software developer Pick Systems, and subsequently vice president of marketing communications. As information technology manager for snack food manufacturer Cornnuts, Inc., he managed technology modernization programs.
Mr. Hill has been a senior manager at several publishing companies and trade associations. He initially became involved in the food industry as associate publisher of Meat & Poultry Magazine. At the Specialty Equipment Market Association his portfolio included member communications, marketing an international trade show and computerizing CRM and directory publishing functions. As the first marketing director for the American Water Works Association, he was responsible for marketing and sales of journal advertising, publications and conference attendance and exhibits. At Eastern Publishing Co. he rose from associate editor of Super Stock magazine to editor of Stock Car Racing to publisher of both.
Contact Denis Hill at dhill@soyatech.com.
Eileen Bartlett
Customer Service Manager
Eileen Bartlett is customer service manager at Soyatech. She manages order fulfillment of the Soya & Oilseed Bluebook and syndicated reports, and handles all customer service issues. Ms. Bartlett is also responsible for managing registrations for the Soya & Oilseed Summit and database entry.
Prior to joining Soyatech, Ms. Bartlett worked at the Mount Desert Island YMCA for 15 years. She started working in the Childcare Department and worked her way up through the organization to membership director, a post she held for seven years. During her time at the YMCA she acquired numerous certifications in Member Service and received her YMCA Director's Certificate. Ms Bartlett was also awarded a Certificate of Excellence as membership director for fulfilling national YMCA mandates. Ms Bartlett was co-director of the Bar Harbor Half Marathon and MDI YMCA Spring 5K & Fun Run.
Contact Eileen Bartlett at eileen@soyatech.com.
Sarah Day
Research Analyst
Sarah Day is a Research Analyst for Soyatech, LLC and in HighQuest Partners’ Global Food, Agribusiness and Biofuels Practice based in the firm’s Bar Harbor, Maine office. Ms. Day has extensive experience in agricultural research and writing. She has conducted research using GIS software to analyze the effects of pesticide use on orchard crops in the Central Valley of California and has developed surveys and led focus group interviews analyzing milk processing and merchandising in the informal dairy industry in Kenya. The latter resulted in her developing relevant policy objectives for informal milk safety and market development.
Ms. Day received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in International Agricultural Development and a M.S degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California, Davis.
Contact Sarah Day at sday@soyatech.com.
Amber Jost
Data Services Manager
Amber Jost is data services manager at Soyatech. She is responsible for all IT systems and CRM applications, is the primary point of contact for Bluebook advertising materials.
Contact Amber Jost at amber@soyatech.com.
