AMVAC Chemical hires Bob Trogele as COO

American Vanguard Corporation announced that Ulrich (Bob) Trogele, Ph.D., has been named Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of its principal operating subsidiary, AMVAC Chemical Corporation, effective immediately. In this position, Trogele will focus on growing the business across multiple product lines and geographies, achieving greater profitability and establishing a pipeline of future opportunities through innovation and strategic relationships.

As COO, he will oversee sales, marketing, and business development on a global basis.Over the past 28 years, Trogele has worked in positions of increasing responsibility within the agribusiness sectors of agrichemicals, biotechnology and plant nutrition, culminating with 10 years at FMC Corporation, where he served most recently as President–Asia Pacific across 20-plus countries and, for several years prior, as North American Area Director of their agricultural solutions business. Trogele has a track record of exceeding expectations with customers wherever he works, by increasing revenue and profitability through acquiring and licensing multiple technologies, launching innovations and expanding sales into new territories.

“Time and again, Bob has taken the reins of a business and spurred unprecedented growth and profitability in a short time,” American Vanguard chairman and CEO Eric Wintemute said. “His drive to succeed, keen marketing sense and ability to think creatively have proven to be a recipe for success in virtually every business he has led. As a complement to his considerable experience, he has built an extensive network of relationships with customers and industry peers throughout the globe, particularly in North America and Europe and also in Asia where he lived and worked most recently. We look forward to having Bob join the team and to help write the next chapter of American Vanguard.”

Prior to his business career, Trogele was an elite athlete. He was a four-year starter and captain on the Wichita State basketball team, and a professional basketball player representing the German national team as a two-time Olympian, in the course of which he attained both an MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Goettingen. He is fluent in German and French, and since 1997 has served as a professor of international business at the Berlin University, Germany, School of Economics and Law, where he teaches global business and management to international MBA students from Asia, Europe, Middle East, North and Latin America.

“I am excited to work with experienced industry leader and CEO Eric Wintemute, the highly respected board of directors of American Vanguard and its talented leadership team in continuing to build and grow the foundation of the Company, driving value creation for all stakeholders, customers, employees and community through technology, alliances and market access expansion,” Trogele said.