Denman at the helm
Feb 26, 2019
HOUSTON, TX -- After 39 years in the rice business, Mark Denman will be retiring this Thursday, February 28, as vice president of Riviana Foods Specialty Brands.
Originally from Stuttgart, Arkansas, Mark graduated from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and started his career with Riceland Foods in 1976, as a territory manager of retail sales. In 1982, Mark made his first move to Texas where he joined Anderson Clayton Foods in Dallas, and in 1985 he started working for Farms of Texas, which later became RiceTec, as their sales and marketing manager. One of many pioneering accomplishments Mark made while at RiceTec was in 1989, with the introduction of a canister as the primary package for rice, something that still sets the RiceSelect brand apart today. Mark has worked at Riviana Foods Inc. in Houston since 2015, when Riviana purchased RiceTec’s retail business.
“Mark has been a big part of USA Rice through the years, serving on the USA Rice Domestic Promotion Committee (1995-2012), as chair of the Rice Millers’ Association (2011-2013), and as chair of USA Rice (2012-2014),” said Betsy Ward, president and CEO of the organization. “He devoted considerable time and energy to the betterment of the rice industry. Mark’s expertise and leadership will be missed but we truly wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Mark has also served as the mayor of Nassau Bay, Texas, since 2012. He and his wife, Diana, have one daughter, Allison, who is currently enrolled in the Fulbright Honors Program at the University of Arkansas.