WASHINGTON — James M. Meyer, president of Italgrani USA, has been named chairman of the North American Millers’ Association. Mr. Meyer, who was named vice-chairman of NAMA in October, takes over for Greg Schlafer, who is departing the milling business to lead ConAgra Foods, Inc.’s Lamb Weston business.

 Mr. Meyer was elected to a three-year term on the executive committee in October 2012, and has been on the NAMA board since 2005, served on numerous NAMA committees, and is currently the chairman of the Finance/Budget Committee. He will serve as chairman for a two-year term, 2013-2014.

“By providing the milling industry a voice in Washington, acting as an information conduit, and building collaborations, NAMA provides a valuable service to the milling industry,” Mr. Meyer said. “I am looking forward to working with the leadership and staff of NAMA on continuing to build our alliances and information resources for the benefit of the industry.”

Mr. Meyer is the president of Italgrani USA, a family-owned company and one of the country’s largest durum millers. In addition to the milling operations, Italgrani also trades various commodities, both domestically and internationally, and has grain-elevator operations in North Dakota and a major grain-handling operation in St. Louis. He joined Italgrani USA in 1988 as chief financial officer, and was named president in 2006.

Before joining Italgrani, Mr. Meyer spent nine years in the accounting and audit department at Arthur Andersen & Co. He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Mr. Schlafer was named president of ConAgra Foods, Inc.’s Lamb Weston business unit, effective Feb. 25. He will step into a position that has been the responsibility of Paul Maass, president of Commercial Foods for ConAgra, for more than a year. Mr. Schlafer was most recently vice-president of the Bakeries & Foodservice division for General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis.