|
Jon Leafstedt, Managing Director. Mr. Leafstedt has served in wide-ranging executive roles in global agribusinesses and development-stage technology companies. Most recently, Leafstedt passed the baton as head of Chromatin, Inc., a plant biotechnology firm, after he led its successful turnaround and refocusing. He previously was President & COO of Phytodyne, Inc., another venture capital-backed biotechnology company, and was responsible for worldwide intellectual property and regulatory efforts for a nutritional ingredient manufacturer, Kemin Industries. Prior to these posts, he led state governmental affairs programs for the agrichemical businesses for BASF/American Cyanamid preceded by an early career grounding in field sales and marketing management in Cyanamid’s animal health products department. A leader in numerous national and state industry organizations, Leafstedt has chaired the Iowa Biotechnology Association and was a committee leader at the Animal Health Institute, American Feed Industry Association, and American Crop Protection Association (now CropLife America). He is an honors graduate of the University of Iowa’s MBA program and the animal science program at South Dakota State University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa MBA program. | 