Member Spotlight: Doug Eiden
GEAPS’ December 2025/January 2026 issue of the In-Grain newsletter features GEAPS Member Spotlight Doug Eiden. The full issue of In-Grain is available to GEAPS Members. If you aren’t a GEAPS Member, you can sign up online.
About Doug Eiden:
Position and Company:
Owner/President, EDM, LLC
Chapter:
Minneapolis
Geographic Region/Location:
Buffalo, MN
Years with company:
2021 (4+ years)
Years in Industry:
2009 (16+ years)
Family:
Wife Kim and four children: son Wyatt (in remembrance), and daughters Etta, Alyza and Lucy
How has being a GEAPS member helped you grow professionally?
Being a GEAPS member has been a great way for me to network and keep learning. Through GEAPS Exchange, trainings, and other events, I’ve met people from across all sectors of grain from project managers, designers, or others I can collaborate with when troubleshooting breakdowns or looking for new solutions. GEAPS has really opened the door to sharing ideas and building relationships that help me do my job better.
Favorite part about working in the grain industry:
Definitely the people. All across the industry, I come across folks with similar backgrounds. Hardworking, get-it-done types who know how to push through the challenges but also can relax and enjoy themselves afterward. It’s the kind of environment where you can work your tail off, then grab a beer together and talk about anything. On top of that, it’s fun to be connected to the products our industries help create—everything from dairy and beef to beers and whiskeys. There’s a long list of things that tie back to what we do.
How did you get into the grain industry?
I grew up on a dairy farm, so agriculture was always a part of my life. I went to school for AutoCAD drafting and design and landed my first job in the industry during the ethanol boom back in the mid 2000s. I had no idea there was an entire industry so closely tied to what I grew up with. Once I got into it, everything clicked. From drafting plans, working estimates, the full project management, and working with clients, my career has been influenced by the people I’ve met along the way. And through GEAPS, I’ve met others who continue to shape how I learn and grow. It all started on the farm, and the industry has just kept building from there.
What are some trends you’re seeing in the industry now?
It’s hard to pinpoint just a few trends because there are so many happening at once and changing faster than they used to. Some days the focus is safety, other days it’s automation, technology upgrades, or AI. As markets shift, one year it’s fertilizer projects, another year it’s grain storage needs or feed-related items, and there always seem to be repairs and renovations. Staying current and supporting our customers means constantly adapting to whatever the next change is.
