The global potato processor with a large presence in the Mid-Columbia is shuffling more new faces into its top leadership roles as it continues to recover from sluggish sales and other challenges from past years. 

Jan Craps, a former top executive with Anheuser-Busch InBev, was recently named executive chair of Lamb Weston’s board of directors, according to a release. He will work alongside president and CEO Mike Smith to further the company’s long-term strategic goals and performance in the international market, while also focusing on board leadership and governance. 

Craps replaces Bradley Alford, who will transition to lead independent director. 

The company also will replace chief financial officer Bernadette Madarieta with James D. Gray beginning in April. Gray has held financial leadership roles at PepsiCo and global ingredients solutions company Ingredion after starting his career at Bain & Company. 

“The experience and vision Jan and Jim bring to Lamb Weston will be critically important as we execute our Focus to Win strategy. I look forward to working closely with them as we prioritize markets and channels, strengthen customer partnerships, achieve executional excellence, and set the pace for innovation,” Smith said in a statement. 

Lamb Weston is one of the Tri-Cities’ largest employers, with about 2,806 employees working in its processing facilities and administrative offices, according to 2025 data in the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ Book of Lists. 

Lamb Weston officials were upbeat in their latest quarterly report in December, with net sales and gross profit climbing by tens of millions of dollars compared to the same quarter last year.