Employee Profile

Julie C.

Name: Julie C.
Title: Rail Merchant
Career Area: Trading
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota
Education: University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management Major: Supply Chain and Operations Management, Minor: Finance

“My roles in grain merchandising have been a great way for me to blend my personal interests in economics, supply chain, and finance with Cargill’s overall mission.”


Every role I’ve had at Cargill has given me an opportunity to have a global impact. It’s been one of the most enriching aspects of my career so far. Even as an intern, I was buying grain from farmers to support our export grain program. It’s been rewarding to know the roles I’ve had in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota have been connected to the global grain markets and I’ve played a role to source grain and serve customers around the globe.

Describe your work responsibilities and the importance of your role.

I manage AgHorizon’s position for corn tributary to the KCS railroad. I am responsible for developing and executing a trading game plan that supports the origination efforts from Cargill grain elevators and maximizes our opportunities in the marketplace. I manage core customer accounts and coordinate logistics between the railroad, grain elevators, and end-user feed mills. I also work in collaboration with other rail desks to capture arbitrage opportunities across different railroads. My role contributes to AgHorizon’s corn trading strategy and enhances our understanding of end user demand and market trends.

Describe your day-to-day activities and the skills needed to perform well.

My role requires a high level of communication with other Cargill trading desks and local grain origination teams, end-user customers, the railroad, brokers, and external grain elevators. These conversations deepen my understanding of the supply and demand factors influencing the market and either confirm or challenge my trading plan. I need to be responsive and willing to quickly adapt as the market changes. Another major component of my day is managing rail logistics and understanding the impact rail performance can have on prices. I need to be observant and detail-orientated so I can quickly pick up on changes in the market.

Describe your career path. Where did you start and how did you get to where you are today?

I started in Des Moines, Iowa, where I spent two years trading soybean meal, managing customer accounts, and executing game plans with the operations team. I then spent one year in Evansville, Indiana as a merchandising leader. I led our grain origination team, and managed our positions, margins, and execution plans for four grain elevators. After a business restructure, I was transferred to Minneapolis, and have spent two years trading corn on the KCS railroad. Being willing to say “yes” to new and different opportunities has been an exciting and accelerating aspect of my career.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

Personally, I enjoy the daily challenges and problem solving that my job requires of me. There are so many constantly changing variables at play- there’s often not a clear “right answer” in the market, so you need to gain conviction around a bias and then execute. It’s a fairly rewarding feeling when you’ve have done your analysis, created a bias and executed a game plan, and when you end up trading the market very well.

Why did you choose to join Cargill and what keeps you here? In other words, how has a career at Cargill helped you to thrive?

I was drawn to Cargill as a company because I wanted to be part of a team that sought to be the “global leader in nourishing people”. It’s a privilege to be part of such a cause, to be instrumental in sourcing and supplying the world with an accessible and safe food supply. My roles in grain merchandising have been a great way for me to blend my personal interests in economics, supply chain, and finance with Cargill’s overall mission.

What advice would you give someone interested in a career at Cargill like yours?

Take the initiative to gain a variety of experiences, and be willing to seize new opportunities in different locations. Getting first-hand exposure in markets around the U.S. has been invaluable as I’ve moved into new roles at Cargill. It’s helped me become more observant of factors influencing local markets and enriched my overall understanding of the U.S. grain business.

Share an interesting tidbit about yourself such as hobbies, volunteerism, favorite foods or activities, accomplishments inside or outside of work.

I was elected to serve on my city’s development work group. For the past year, I’ve worked with other city stakeholders-developers, business owners, residents, and city officials to create a vision of what we want our city to become in the next 20-30 years. We’re now in the process of putting together a “roadmap” of how we get there. It’s been a great way to contribute to my community and has given me a new appreciation for all the work that’s required to make a city a fantastic place to live!