From left: Gary Adams, Reece Langley, Mark Lange and John Maguire

The National Cotton Council announced today that its board has elected Gary Adams, who has served as the council’s vice president of economics and policy analysis since 2002, to be the organization’s president and chief executive officer.

Adams succeeds NCC President and CEO Mark Lange, who retired after serving in that role since 2003.

Before joining the NCC, Adams was a research assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri. During his 13-year tenure at the university, his primary responsibilities included policy analysis and market outlook for the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute.

Adams holds bachelor of science and master of arts degrees in applied mathematics from the University of Alabama and a doctoral degree in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri.

The NCC board also re-elected Reece Langley as the NCC’s vice president of its Washington operations. He has been serving in the post since fall, and is succeeding John Maguire, who retired after serving in that post since 1986 and working for the NCC since 1979.

Before joining the NCC, Langley served for nearly a decade as vice president of government affairs for the USA Rice Federation. Before joining USA Rice, Langley was agricultural legislative assistant to Rep. Terry Everett, R-Ala., from 2001 through 2003.

Langley was raised on his family’s farm in Athens, Ala., where he remains involved. He earned a bachelor degree in agricultural economics and a master of business administration degree, both from Auburn University.