(NAFB.com) – The American Peanut Council named Lucas Blaustein as its next president and CEO. He succeeded Richard Owen and will join the APC on August 25, 2025. For the past seven years, Blaustein has served as a diplomat in the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, where he led teams, offices, and projects in Central Asia, the Arabian Gulf, Taiwan, and in Washington D.C. “Luke brings to APC an exceptional blend of global trade acumen, deep-rooted agricultural knowledge, and a bold vision for the future of the peanut industry,” said Anne-Marie DeLorenzo, APC 2025 board chair and the senior strategic sourcing manager at Mars Wrigley. “His leadership is dynamic and inclusive, and is grounded in a strong commitment to serving growers, shellers, manufacturers, and our allied members.” Blaustein has a Master of Agribusiness from Texas A & M University. “I’m honored to lead an organization that unites the entire U.S. peanut industry,” he said.