Neil Juhnke Hired as CEO of Michigan Sugar Co.

March 20, 2023

He replaces the retiring Mark Flegenheimer, who led Michigan Sugar for two and a half decades.

Neil Juhnke, who has 30-plus years in agribusiness, will take over April 3 as president/CEO of Michigan Sugar Co., Bay City, Mich. He replaces the retiring Mark Flegenheimer, who led Michigan Sugar for two and a half decades.

Juhnke began his career at American Crystal Sugar Co., Moorhead, Minn., and spent 15 years there. Then he helped found Northstar Agri Industries, where he led the development and construction of a canola processing and refining plant near Hallock, Minn., and later became president and chief operating officer. Most recently, he was vice president of manufacturing and operations for Red River Commodities Inc.

Flegenheimer spent 40 years in the sugar industry and has been Michigan Sugar’s president/CEO since 1998. Michigan Sugar processes sugar beets for industrial, commercial and retail customers under the Pioneer brand.

About the Author

Dave Fusaro | Editor in Chief

Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.