Worthington Foods Officers

New officers of Worthington Foods after becoming independent from Miles Laboratories are pictured here. Seated left to right are: Jim Remer, Dale Twomley, Allan Buller, and Les Slaughter. Standing left to right are: Evelyn Wiesner, Bill Kirkwood, Dick Leiss, Craig Newton, Nancy Minella and Frank Poston.

In 1978 Miles Laboratories was acquired by Bayer AG of Germany which had become an international billion-dollar company as makers of Bayer Aspirin and other pharmaceutical items, as well as a variety of other products. Bayer AG saw the acquisition of Miles as a potential for entry into the U.S. market.

After a few years of joint effort it became clear that Bayer AG management had no special interest in the marketing of food products. When Allan Buller, the highest ranking officer in the Worthington Foods Division at the time observed this, he proposed to James Hagle (retired) and to George T. Harding IV MD that exploratory talks be initiated with Miles management to determine if Miles-Bayer AG would consider selling the Worthington Foods business back to its original owners. Within a few months this led to an agreement under which the entire Worthington Foods operation would be sold to a new corporation that had been formed by Buller, Hagle, and Harding. The sale included all rights to manufacture and market products under the Worthington Foods and Morning Star Farm brand names, and also included the offices, laboratory, factory, and equipment and facilities at Worthington. All employees of the Worthington Foods Division of Miles chose to accept employment at the newly reorganized company and Allan R. Buller was elected President and CEO. James L. Hagle was elected Chairman of the new Board of Directors and Dr. George Harding served as a board member.

By the end of 1985 annual sales had reached twenty-five million dollars. In 1986 Allan Buller retired as President and Dale E. Twomley was chosen to take his place. Dr. Twomley had resigned his position as Chairman of the Department of Business at Andrews University in 1983 and had joined Worthington Foods at that time. He was elected President and CEO of Worthington Foods upon Allan's Retirement. Buller continued to serve as a board member.