Fall Semester

Steve Barr

Osborn & Barr
October 6-7, 2008

Steve Barr is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Osborn & Barr, the leading agricultural marketing and communications firm in North America.

Representing 35 years of experience, he has produced marketing communications vehicles and programs for the leading corporations and associations in North America, Europe and South America, including Deere & Company, Monsanto, Merck AgVet, John Deere Credit, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Monsanto Canada, Ceregen, United Soybean Board, Agricultural Retailers Association and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, among many others.

O&B was founded in 1988 with one client and four employees. Now in its twentieth year, Osborn & Barr has cultivated a rich history communicating with agricultural audiences, concentrating on business-to-business marketing communications, providing proven competency in channel communications, dealer network relations and high-end, considered-purchase products. Its staff of more than 140 professionals provides strategic planning, brand management, account management, media, digital marketing, public relations, public affairs and creative services.

Barr spent 10 years with Deere & Company's internal communications department, writing materials for seeding equipment and tractors for North America and Europe. He later joined Monsanto as advertising manager for its U.S. markets.

In addition to building Osborn & Barr with co-founder and partner Joe Osborn, Barr owns agricultural equipment dealerships in eastern Iowa and eastern Nebraska, has formed a company to market and distribute soy-based industrial products, and participates in the federal Partners in America program on behalf of the state of Illinois with the state of São Paulo, Brazil. In addition, he is a founder in Farmergy, a company focused on assisting the rural private market in developing efficient clean-energy and environmental solutions, as well as Flex-Stor, a new-generation grain storage and handling company.

He is active in his family's 1,500-acre row-crop farming operation in central Missouri and has been recognized for his efforts in promoting conservation in agriculture and addressing the environmental issues impacting agricultural producers and retailers. He serves on the boards and executive committees of the FFA Foundation, National 4-H Council, Conservation Technology Information Center and the National Association of Conservation Districts. He also is a member and has held several offices in Alpha Gamma Rho, a national agricultural fraternity.

Barr graduated from the University of Missouri, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources with a degree in agricultural journalism.