Strong leadership and strategic vision are the backbone of the Soy Excellence Center (SEC) program’s global growth. To ensure continued relevance across regions and alignment with U.S. Soy’s purpose-driven mission, SEC operates under a two-tiered governance model—the Global Advisory Panel (GAP) and Regional Advisory Councils (RACs).

A Vision Renewed: Meet Our New GAP Leadership

Earlier this year at the March annual meeting in Denver Colorado, new 2025 GAP members were elected including the new Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and 19 foundational investors from our Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs) representing the U.S. Soy industry. The current SEC GAP member representations include:

The new Chair, Mark Read, shared his strong belief in the mission of the SEC GAP: “I’m deeply convinced of the Soy Excellence Center’s role in improving lives and livelihoods, strengthening local economies, and opening doors for U.S. Soy in key markets. I’ve seen its impact firsthand over the past five years.”

He added, “For us as GAP members, the path forward is to be catalysts—asking the right questions, fostering understanding, and providing steady support to SEC staff, Regional Advisory Councils, our partners, and supporters.”

Honoring a Founding Force: Tori Sorensen’s Legacy

This also means we said farewell to the outgoing Chair, Tori Sorensen. She has been a foundational member and SEC’s Chair for the past five years championing the kernel of an idea that was SEC to the global footprint and the growth it has witnessed across the five regions: Americas, Asia, India, Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Reflecting on the growth of the SEC Program, Tori Sorensen noted, “Five years ago, the SEC concept emerged as a singular initiative under the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) with a lofty mission: to bridge knowledge gaps and elevate the capabilities of early- and mid-career protein professionals across the soy value chain. Today, our impact surpasses our hopes from 2019.”

You can read her full reflections in the inaugural SEC 2024 annual report launched in March 2025.

Continuing the Mission

As we turn a new page with fresh leadership and renewed purpose, the SEC community remains united by one goal: to equip the world’s next generation of protein professionals with the knowledge and tools to nourish a growing planet. Join us in celebrating this momentum and shaping a future that’s both resilient and sustainable.