Experience

Engrain LLC (engrain.us)

• United States
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

  • 2008 - Present

  Chief Executive Officer/Co-FounderEnvisioned, launched and led startup of a global grain technology development and marketing firm, securing foundation capital and forming partnership with the key investor and industry manufacturer. Provide leadership direction of overall company strategy and innovation mission. Serve as principal sales lead for new product and territory expansion initiatives. Accountable to investor ownership for management of operating budget and overall P&L performance. Assembled professional team, including functionally autonomous operations/sales leaders. Built a global sales network with three offices serving 70+ flour milling companies across the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia.



Kansas State University Foundation

• United States
• Fundraising
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Senior Director of Development

  • 2002 - 2008

  Senior Director of Development - College of AgricultureRecruited to leverage background in university fundraising and business development to drive financial goals through conclusion of the Kansas State University’s Changing Lives Campaign. Brought vision, leadership and cohesion to four person team and provided fundraising/corporate development support for the dean and 10 university department heads. Headed efforts to secure private/corporate contributions funding capital building projects (completion of the Hal Ross Flour Mill and lead gift to name the O.H. Kruse Feed Technology Innovation Center) along with scholarship/faculty endowments and departmental excellence funds, individually pursuing the largest donor prospects and navigating the most complex corporate relationships.



Nebraska Wesleyan University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Director of Development

  • 2000 - 2002

  Engaged to enhance university development office in building a culture of mutual respect, cooperation and shared goals between the sales (external fundraisers), internal IT and accounting groups. Managed a nine-member team, built relationships and fostered open communication to bridge the divide between factions, significantly improving workplace environment and performance. Engaged to enhance university development office in building a culture of mutual respect, cooperation and shared goals between the sales (external fundraisers), internal IT and accounting groups. Managed a nine-member team, built relationships and fostered open communication to bridge the divide between factions, significantly improving workplace environment and performance.



Farmland Foods

• United States
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Business Consultant

  • 1999 - 2000

  Provided business consulting services to Farmland divisions and local member cooperatives across the Northern Region. Redesigned customer service training curriculum for the Farmland consulting unit. Principal instructor of sales/marketing module in Farmland Benchmark Professional Development Series for cooperative managers. Facilitated market planning effort as part of the group strategic planning product, to include market survey design, delivery, data analysis and summary impact advising. Conceived and facilitated the launch of Profit Partners, an innovative program at Hampton (NE) cooperative, selling bundled, per-acre products/services to remain competitive, signing pilot farms and generating added revenue for both the crop producer and the coop organization.

• Dairy Consultant

  • 1996 - 1999

  Member of launch team for greenfield grain processing and commodity blending facility as field technical sales serving Pecos and Mesilla Valley (New Mexico) and High Plains (New Mexico/West Texas) commercial dairy herds. Introduced new rumen bypass protein strategy and the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein modeling technology. Led value-added marketing initiatives to increase sales of premium, proprietary products in partnership with key Farmland vendors – Church & Dwight (Megalac & Megalac Plus), Zinpro (4-Plex) and Diamond V (XP Yeast Culture). Facilitated joint venture partnership between Plymouth, Beatrice and Firth, Nebraska cooperatives to operate the Farmland Herd Maker Heifer Alliance. Recognized as Farmland's top producing dairy sales consultant (1998).



Custom Ag Products, Inc.

• Nutritionist

  • 1994 - 1996

  Began professional career with regional feed premix company, supplying vitamin, mineral and medicated ingredients to swine producers. Responsible for new product development and formulation. Assisted customers and field sales representatives with product application optimization and provided technical support services. Authored and managed distribution of CAPNET customer bulletin and developed a new technical resource manual. Directed company trade show activities and chaired monthly sales team meetings.