Executive in Residence ⋅ Page 1

Coming Home

CAFNR alum and CropLife America Chief of Staff returns as Executive-In-Residence 

Four values – respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence – can often be read hanging from banners attached to the iconic Mizzou columns. For Mizzou students, alumni, faculty and staff, the four words can evoke a certain pride. For College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources alumnus Kellie Bray, the values remind her of her time on MU’s campus. Bray served as…

Learning and Pivoting

Craig Bacon shares tips for success with students as part of the Executive-in-Residence program

Keep learning and keep “pivoting” – that was the advice to students from Craig Bacon, senior vice president of technical services for Simmons Prepared Foods. Bacon was on campus Oct. 10-11 as part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources’ Robert O. Reich Executive-in-Residence program, which brings industry leaders to the college to share knowledge and experiences with…

Must Love Food

Sarah Geisert shares insight from career in food industry with CAFNR students

The world today requires a different level of collaboration and partnership, said Sarah Geisert, as part of her visit to the Mizzou College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources April 4-5. She participated in a food industry roundtable and spoke to seven classes during her time on campus, including courses in agricultural economics, food science and soil science, as part…

Entrepreneur in Residence

CAFNR alum and successful start-up founder returns to campus to share experiences with students

When Jeff Wasson was a student at the University of Missouri in the early 1990s, there weren’t a lot of courses that focused on his field of interest – entrepreneurship. He said he was honored to come back recently and share some of his experiences in this line of work with current students in the College of Agriculture, Food and…

A Lasting Impact

Executive-in-Residence Program celebrates 20 years and 50 executives

Robert R. and Carol Reich had a simple goal in mind when they created the Robert O. Reich Family Executive-in-Residence Program in 1996 – bring industry professionals to the University of Missouri campus to interact with students and faculty. Twenty years and 50 executives later, the program is still running strong. Alvin McQuinn, President and CEO, Ag-Chem Equipment Co., Inc.,…

Conserving Futures

Executive-in-Residence helps students see unconventional paths to careers

Sara Parker Pauley believes “we are all in this together.” Although she was referring to conservation of our natural resources, it’s also the way she feels about giving back to students in related fields from her position as the current director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and recently selected director of the Missouri Department of Conservation. She will take…

Cultivating Futures

Executive-in-Residence, wife, create endowment fund in honor of their fathers

As the famous Beatles tune goes, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Roger Gardner brought the words to life, not only as a rock radio DJ in college, but by establishing a scholarship fund for students at his alma mater’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Roger is the executive vice president and chief cultural…

Message in a Bottle

Coca-Cola executive and alumna shares insight on how she climbed to the top

As a self-proclaimed foodie growing up in Kenya, Wamwari Waichungo dreamed about working with food or agriculture, but she had yet to learn of opportunities in food science until attending college in the United States. Today, she is an executive at the iconic Coca-Cola Company, whose products she knew well from childhood. On Oct. 20-21, Wamwari, vice president of global…

100 Years of Service

MFA Incorporated President and CEO Bill Streeter says the co-op keeps its focus on the people

Bill Streeter, President and CEO of MFA Incorporated, spoke as part of a panel discussion on “100 Years of MFA Incorporated – Proud Past, Bright Future,” Oct. 28 at the University of Missouri. Streeter is the 44th Executive-in-Residence in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and joined CAFNR faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends Oct. 28-29.

New Experiential Lab

$1 million gift supports MU student collaboration

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), one of the world’s leading agricultural processors, has given the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) a gift of $1 million to support a dedicated laboratory space designed specifically for student experiential learning. The ADM Center for Agricultural Development, to be located in the Agricultural Engineering building on MU’s east…