Lori Norlen and Scott Girdley Join Finance Group
ATCHISON, Kan., October 28, 2010—MGP Ingredients, Inc. (Nasdaq/MGPI) has announced the appointment of Lori Norlen to the position of assistant controller. Scott Girdley, D. Mgt, has joined the company as director of supply chain finance.
Norlen comes to MGPI with over 25 years of experience in accounting and finance roles. She most recently served as manager of corporate accounting for Hostess Brands in Kansas City, Mo. Dr. Girdley brings 17 years of accounting and finance experience to his new position at MGPI. Just prior to joining the company, he was employed as manager of cost accounting at American Italian Pasta Company, Kansas City, Mo.
“We are very pleased to welcome Lori and Scott and excited about the professional knowledge, skills and expertise that they will apply to their respective roles at MGP Ingredients,” said Don Tracy, vice president of finance and chief financial officer. “Each will perform key functions on our finance team, bolstering our capabilities and processes.”
Norlen’s primary responsibilities are to manage and coordinate all internal audit activities and provide accounting support for month-end, quarter-end and fiscal year-end accounting activities. Dr. Girdley principally is responsible for providing support for the CFO and Scott Phillips, MGPI’s vice president of supply chain. This includes monitoring standard costing processes and costs related to production, inventory management, procurement and capital expenditure projects.
Prior to her role at Hostess Brands, Norlen was employed by Jefferson Wells, an international accounting services provider, where she served in advisory, consulting and project management capacities between 2005 and 2009. She previously spent five years with Assurant Employee Benefits, Kansas City, Mo., initially as a forensic accountant and disability claims consultant and later as assistant controller. She also had served as assistant controller at Biomune Company, Lenexa, Kan., from 1996 to 2000 and, before that, spent three years as controller and secretary treasurer of UPAC, an insurance premium financing company in Lenexa, and 11 years in accounting and finance positions with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swiss Re in Overland Park, Kan.
Norlen is a licensed certified public accountant and a member of the Kansas City Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. She holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Greenville (Illinois) College, where she graduated with highest honors in 1982.
For three years before being named manager of cost accounting at American Italian Pasta Company in 2009, Dr. Girdley served as plant controller for the company’s Excelsior Springs, Mo., and Tolleson, Ariz., operations. Prior to that, he spent 13 years with the Arlee Group, a manufacturer of decorative home fashions, working in various capacities at that company’s New York City and West Plains, Mo., locations. Positions with Arlee included plant controller from 2000 to 2006, corporate internal auditor from 1997 to 2000, and plant management information system coordinator and purchasing manager in West Plains from 1993 to 1997.
Dr. Girdley received a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Missouri State University, Springfield, in 1992. He earned a master of business administration degree at Webster University, St. Louis, in 2001 and completed his doctor of management degree at Webster earlier this year.