Inver Grove Heights-based CHS, Inc., on Tuesday announced the appointment of a new leadership team, effective January 3.

The team, selected by president and CEO designate Carl Casale-who also starts January 3-consists mostly of current executives of the company. Casale will succeed current president and CEO John Johnson, who retires on December 31.

Casale most recently served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for St. Louis-based Monsanto Company, where he oversaw the company's finance, strategy, and information technology resources. CHS announced Casale's appointment last month.

“I look forward to working with this experienced and talented team of individuals who will help lead our company forward as we seek opportunities to add value for CHS stakeholders,” Casale said in a statement.

The company's new leadership team is as follows:

• Jay Debertin will now serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer for energy and foods. He joined the company in 1984 and most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of processing.
• Mark Palmquist will continue as CHS's executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company's agricultural business. He joined the company in 1979 as a grain merchandiser and has held a variety of positions since.
• Lynden Johnson was promoted to senior vice president of business solutions. Johnson had served as vice president of the same department since 2008.
• Pat Kluempke has been named executive vice president for corporate services. Kluempke joined the company in 1982 and began his career in grain trading and export marketing. He has held a variety of positions in operations and corporate functions.
• David Kastelic will serve as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Most recently, he served as senior vice president and general counsel for CHS. He joined the company's legal department in 1993.
• Lisa Zell has been named senior vice president and general counsel. Zell joined CHS in 1999 as a corporate attorney and has served as principal legal counsel since 2008.

CHS is owned by farmers, ranchers, and cooperatives from across the United States, as well as thousands of preferred stockholders. It supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain, livestock feed, food, and food ingredients and provides business solutions including insurance, financial, and risk-management services. It is among Minnesota's largest companies based on its revenue, which totaled $25.3 billion for the fiscal year that ended in August.