General Industry Operations

GEAPS Exchange 2025: Panel Discussion: Modernizing Grain Handling and Processing Facilities through Automation

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Speakers: Josh Coder, Junior Baca, Eric Haines, Tom Rodman

Session Description

In today’s fast-paced industry, staying competitive means finding innovative ways to improve efficiency and streamline operations. This panel will explore the top three strategies for automating and rethinking traditional facility processes, offering practical insights and success stories from industry leaders. From leveraging cutting-edge technology to reimagining workflows, our experts will discuss how to implement changes that drive productivity, reduce costs, and enhance safety. Whether you're looking to modernize your facility or optimize existing systems, this discussion will provide actionable ideas to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Meet The Speakers

Josh Coder

President

Control Stuff Inc

Josh Coder is the president of Control Stuff Inc.  Josh joined Control Stuff Inc in the spring of 1999, after earning his bachelor’s degree from Bemidji State University.  Starting in the panel shop, Josh moved to commissioning systems and now focuses on working with customers and end users to develop straightforward and cost-effective automation solutions for facilities of all types.  Josh is fortunate to have ‘grown up in the industry’ working alongside his dad, Jim Coder, who founded Control Stuff Inc in 1992.

Junior Baca

Business Developer

Siemens Industry Inc

Junior Baca is an experienced Industrial Account Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the electrical and electronic manufacturing industry. Baca is a sales management professional with an Associate of Applied Science (A.S.) focused in HVAC Technologies from Marshalltown Community College.

Eric Haines

Owner/Founder

Electri-Tech Inc.

Eric Haines is an experienced automation and industrial control systems specialist with a strong background in PLC programming, SCADA development, and industrial networking. As President of Electri-Tech, he has led numerous automation projects spanning grain exporting, manufacturing, water, energy, and infrastructure. Eric is skilled in integrating technologies such as Ignition, Aveva, OSI PI, SQL databases, and cloud-based solutions to optimize operations. His expertise extends to system migrations, cybersecurity, and analytics, ensuring efficient and scalable industrial automation solutions. He is passionate about driving innovation and sharing industry best practices.

Tom Rodman

Plant Manager

TEMCO

Tom Rodman is the Plant Manager for TEMCO’s export terminal in Kalama, WA.
After attending Utah State University in Logan, UT, Tom returned to his home in Kansas, where he worked for Tramco, Inc and Kice Industries.
In 1997, Tom joined Cargill, Inc. in Portland, OR, at their T4 and Irving export grain facilities as a Production Supervisor. After three years, he was promoted to a Team Leader position with Cargill in Westwego, LA. From there, he moved to Memphis, TN, where he held numerous positions with Cargill, including Regional Operations Manager, Cotton Operations Manager, and Construction Project Manager. In 2012, with the addition of CHS Kalama and Cargill Portland to the TEMCO joint venture, he returned to the Pacific Northwest. Tom now lives in Ridgefield, WA, with his wife, Cindy.