Experienced team to expand the NewLeaf product portfolio and strengthen business partnerships
ST. LOUIS, March 26, 2019 – NewLeaf Symbiotics (NewLeaf), a company dedicated to sustainable agriculture and singularly focused on the naturally occurring microbes known as M-trophs, announces the hiring of three experienced agriculture leaders to its business development team. With more than five decades of combined experience, the team will enhance NewLeaf’s partnerships and long-term expansion strategy. Dave Coorts has been named Director of Field Biology; Brad Walkup joins as Technical Sales Lead for the Western Region; and Caroline Currie will serve as Technical Sales Lead for the Eastern Region.
“At NewLeaf, we believe leveraging plants’ naturally occurring microbes will enhance agriculture’s ability to provide growers, consumers and our channel partners more with less, and we are excited to expand our team to strengthen our business partnerships and customer relationships,” said Mike McFatrich, Vice President of Business Strategy and Development. “Dave, Brad, and Caroline have deep experience in helping companies develop and align cutting edge technology with identified market needs, and with their help we will deliver safe, sustainable, and effective crop input products that empower growers to improve crop health and yield.”
Dave Coorts will serve as NewLeaf’s Director of Field Biology. He has more than 30 years of experience in product development and technical agronomic sales, as well as a deep understanding of the needs of farmers, agricultural retailers, and the distribution channel. Prior to joining NewLeaf, he was the North American Product Development Manager for BioSolutions and Innovative Nutrition at Arysta LifeScience. He oversaw product development and emerging technologies by managing the company’s research trials and leading three product development programs to EPA registration. He spent 18 years with Dow AgroSciences in numerous sales, agronomic, and market development roles, with a focus on agriculture technology. He led district sales, launched new products and facilitated partnerships with agriculture retailers. Coorts earned his master’s degree in soil taxonomy and morphology from the University of Tennessee and his bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science from Tennessee Technological University.
Brad Walkup joins NewLeaf as the Technical Sales Lead for the Western Region. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in account management and marketing/sales strategy for global leaders in consumer foods and biotech industries. He previously served as Account Development Manager at NuTech Seed, where he was responsible for negotiating strategic partnerships and driving sales across alternative channels in the U.S. He managed retail execution and coordinated with retail sales, product specialists, logistics and finance. Additional marketing and management experience includes roles with Dow DuPont – PROaccess, Monsanto (now Bayer Crop Sciences) and General Mills, Inc. Walkup earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business finance from Iowa State University and was a team member on the DuPont Marketing Excellence for Teams (DMX-T) through Penn State University.
Caroline Currie will serve as the Technical Sales Lead for the Eastern Region at NewLeaf. She brings 8 years of professional sales and marketing experience focused on agricultural technology adoption. Previously, she served as Business Manager at The Climate Corporation, where she drove business strategy through various distribution channels and retail partners. Currie has developed and supported markets for digital platforms in central Illinois, northern Indiana, and west Texas by establishing and activating dealer networks and driving grower demand. At the Climate Corporation, she led and designed Climate FieldView (CFV) trainings and knowledge transfer activities for Monsanto Company’s (now Bayer CropScience) internal and external distribution. Additional agriculture experience includes roles with Syngenta. Currie earned her master’s degree in international agriculture and her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, both from Oklahoma State University.
About NewLeaf Symbiotics
NewLeaf Symbiotics is an agricultural technology company engaged in discovery, development, production, and commercialization of products containing beneficial plant microbes (M-trophs). NewLeaf’s family of products helps farmers increase yield by promoting stronger plants and better nutrient uptake, ultimately contributing to the transformation of agriculture towards a more sustainable future. Its 40+member team is based in BRDG Park at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO. Visit NewLeaf Symbiotics at www.newleafsym.com.
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