Averaging 25 Years of Experience
WPI's uniqueness is in its composition of people. The professional staff of WPI and affiliated consultants average nearly 25 years of experience in the agri-food sector.The firm joins together professionals with extensive industry background, high-level government trade policy and export program management experience, and producer-supported export market development organization experience, all in a concerted effort to provide broad-based services for our clients.
World Perspectives has been responsive and cooperative under every challenge and circumstance presented in their work for us. WPI CUSTOMER, 2017
Team Bios
Gary Blumenthal
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Blumenthal has been with World Perspectives since 1994 and assumed full leadership of the company in 2005. He changed the company’s structure from a single office in downtown Washington, DC to a team of more than a dozen agrifood analysts located in seven strategically important locations around the world. Additionally, Mr. Blumenthal has diversified the client base for the 320 daily, weekly and monthly specialized information products the company writes each year for the industry. Under his leadership, WPI’s consulting division was designated by an industry group as “best in class” and has successfully completed over 160 different projects on behalf of 91 different companies, institutions and trade associations. The projects have included products ranging from almonds to wheat, covered more than 50 different countries and involved strategic planning assistance, investment due diligence, market and policy analysis, plus audit and evaluation services. Mr. Blumenthal is widely recognized for his industry knowledge and policy expertise, resulting in numerous speeches and presentations to industry groups, corporate boards and public institutions.
He has served on numerous boards and committees, including the joint USDA-USTR Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Grains, Feed and Oilseeds, the USDA Emerging Markets Program Advisory Committee, and the World Agricultural Forum.
From 1991 to 1993, he served as Deputy Assistant for Cabinet Affairs to former President George H.W. Bush, and as Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Trade and Food Assistance. From 1989 to 1991, Mr. Blumenthal served as Executive Assistant and then as Chief of Staff to then-Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter, providing oversight of all operations in this large federal agency (110,000 employees) and exercising continuous scrutiny over $65 billion worth of programs including research, education, production, domestic and international marketing, food safety and inspection, nutrition, environment, public affairs, economic analysis, legal counsel and administration matters related to USDA's mission in the U.S. and in 60 countries around the world. During the 1980s he served with the Foreign Agricultural Service as Legislative Director, was a speechwriter in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, and served on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Larry J. Hopkins (R-Kentucky).
He has served on numerous boards and committees, including the joint USDA-USTR Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Grains, Feed and Oilseeds, the USDA Emerging Markets Program Advisory Committee, and the World Agricultural Forum.
From 1991 to 1993, he served as Deputy Assistant for Cabinet Affairs to former President George H.W. Bush, and as Special Assistant to the President for Agricultural Trade and Food Assistance. From 1989 to 1991, Mr. Blumenthal served as Executive Assistant and then as Chief of Staff to then-Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter, providing oversight of all operations in this large federal agency (110,000 employees) and exercising continuous scrutiny over $65 billion worth of programs including research, education, production, domestic and international marketing, food safety and inspection, nutrition, environment, public affairs, economic analysis, legal counsel and administration matters related to USDA's mission in the U.S. and in 60 countries around the world. During the 1980s he served with the Foreign Agricultural Service as Legislative Director, was a speechwriter in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, and served on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Larry J. Hopkins (R-Kentucky).
Dave Juday
Senior Analyst
Mr. Juday brings an extensive background in both international business and public policy to WPI's Ag Perspectives and Ag Review. He also has expertise in dairy and livestock issues, and his private sector experience includes successfully exporting confection, bakery and snack food products to markets in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
Previously, he served in the White House as Deputy Director of Domestic Policy in the Office of the Vice President, where he was Vice President Dan Quayle's chief agricultural advisor. Mr. Juday also served as an aide in the U.S. Senate where he was appointed Task Force Investigator to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget.
Mr. Juday holds an appointment as an adjunct fellow of the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues and previously he served as the Director of the Focus on Agricultural Regulation and Markets (FARM) Project of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution. His writing on agricultural, trade and environmental issues has been published by such national newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, The Journal of Commerce and The Washington Times, as well as industry magazines such as Top Producer, Farm Journal and Feedstuffs.
Previously, he served in the White House as Deputy Director of Domestic Policy in the Office of the Vice President, where he was Vice President Dan Quayle's chief agricultural advisor. Mr. Juday also served as an aide in the U.S. Senate where he was appointed Task Force Investigator to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget.
Mr. Juday holds an appointment as an adjunct fellow of the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues and previously he served as the Director of the Focus on Agricultural Regulation and Markets (FARM) Project of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution. His writing on agricultural, trade and environmental issues has been published by such national newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, The Journal of Commerce and The Washington Times, as well as industry magazines such as Top Producer, Farm Journal and Feedstuffs.
Matt Herrington
Director of Commodity Research
Mr. Herrington is WPI’s lead commodity analyst and brings over a decade of analytical and risk management experience to the company. He joined WPI in July 2016 to manage the company's commodity analysis and client development activities. In this role, he works with WPI’s analysts to assess global commodity trends and help clients navigate volatile markets. Mr. Herrington routinely executes analyses for Fortune 100 companies, governments, financial institutions, farm organizations, and agricultural producers. Recently, his work has included developing web-based apps and econometric forecasting models that leverage WPI’s proprietary data to help clients manage global market risks.
Mr. Herrington also contributes to the bespoke consulting projects WPI delivers to clients. Over the past five years, he has developed methods for evaluating USDA food aid donations and commodity monetizations that the organization has deemed to be the “gold standard”. Additionally, he led two research efforts examining the impact of Mexico’s proposed ban on GM corn on the North American farm and general economies. Finally, he is responsible for ghostwriting two weekly market publications for global audiences, each with several hundred readers.
Prior to joining WPI, Mr. Herrington worked as a consultant for Informa Economics, IEG in its Washington, DC office. While there, he managed the firm's economic impact studies and worked on projects spanning trade policy analysis, feasibility studies, econometric modeling, and market research in food and agriculture.
Mr. Herrington’s professional career also includes a role as a Commodity Research and Product Development Manager for the CME Group in Chicago, IL. In this position, he co-developed new derivatives contracts and conducted extensive research on livestock markets as well as their futures and options contracts.
A native of Livermore, Colorado, he earned bachelor’s degrees from Colorado State University in Agricultural Business and Animal Science and a master’s degree from Kansas State University in Agricultural Economics.
Mr. Herrington also contributes to the bespoke consulting projects WPI delivers to clients. Over the past five years, he has developed methods for evaluating USDA food aid donations and commodity monetizations that the organization has deemed to be the “gold standard”. Additionally, he led two research efforts examining the impact of Mexico’s proposed ban on GM corn on the North American farm and general economies. Finally, he is responsible for ghostwriting two weekly market publications for global audiences, each with several hundred readers.
Prior to joining WPI, Mr. Herrington worked as a consultant for Informa Economics, IEG in its Washington, DC office. While there, he managed the firm's economic impact studies and worked on projects spanning trade policy analysis, feasibility studies, econometric modeling, and market research in food and agriculture.
Mr. Herrington’s professional career also includes a role as a Commodity Research and Product Development Manager for the CME Group in Chicago, IL. In this position, he co-developed new derivatives contracts and conducted extensive research on livestock markets as well as their futures and options contracts.
A native of Livermore, Colorado, he earned bachelor’s degrees from Colorado State University in Agricultural Business and Animal Science and a master’s degree from Kansas State University in Agricultural Economics.
Jeanie Blumenthal
Publications Manager
Ms. Blumenthal began her career as a journalist before moving to Capitol Hill where she covered the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee with a focus on health care policy. She spent several years working in the real estate business before forming her own company to provide specific marketing and promotion services to agents. At World Perspectives, she ensures that analytical reports meet the company's high standards, including market relevance and technical compliance. Her goal is to ensure that WPI's information products are among the industry's best.