b'RANDY KNUTSON And although he was too late in his college As a young kid, Randy Knutson, seeds pro- career to make a major change, post-graduation duction research scientist at Syngenta Seeds,he took an internship with Syngenta. knew he wanted to work in an area that servesIt feels a bit like the seed industry chose me and helps people. At the time, he thought thatfrom there, he jokes.meant he would become a firefighter. And in particular, corn was really a focus that However, working in the seed industry hascaught Knutsons interest. proven to be a new way for him to be of serviceCorn has so many physiological components, to peoplein an area he never expected. he says. Thinking of all the inbred crosses we can Growing up in an exurb of Milwaukee, Wis.,make; the potential feels limitless when it comes Knutson recalls that he was pretty separatedto developing new hybrids. And the exciting part from the ag industrythe closest he everis we still dont know everything about corn. The got was a 100-acre tangerine grove that hiscontinual learning and science behind it are what grandparents owned in Florida. Fast forward tomakes the work interesting and fun. college, and he was actively involved in a socialAnother passion he has? Learning about trees.agriculture fraternity and working on a friendsI love dendrology (the science and study of dairy farm.wooded plants), he says. In college, my fraternity Looking back, I realize that this work allowedbrothers and I collected sap from the university me to see all facets of the value chain while liter- golf courses maple trees and made syrup for stu-ally getting my hands dirty, Knutson says.dents on campus and for our families.ANDREW LAUVERAgriculture was no stranger to Andrew Lauver, Golden Harvest sales rep-resentative. In facthe was sure he wanted to be just like his father and grandfather and become a farmer. When I went to Iowa State, I thought I would study for four years and return home to the farm, Lauver says. After attending my first career fair, I realized the world of agriculture was much larger than I had ever imagined.And his interest was piqued from there. He went on to take several trips abroad to Costa Rica, Ireland and Brazil, plus a number of internships in the seed industry, in order to further his studies. One particular experience that gave him an appreciation for the industry? Being selected as a Campus Connections student by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). Lauver says getting the opportunity to attend their annual meeting amazed him due to the dedication of the industry. We are blessed to have so many leaders that have come before us and paved the way for American agriculture, he says. I consider it a great honor to be a small part of the industry that serves as the backbone of America.One key to his success? His listening skills.Listening is absolutely critical to understanding a farmers operation, he says. Nearly every farmer I have worked with has wanted a partnership, not just a product. That means someone they can truly trust and share informa-tion with to better their operation and strengthen their relationship with.With new clients, Lauver says he tries not to pull out a computer or iPad until at least 30 minutes into the conversation, because asking questions, listening and looking the customer in the eye is the best way for him to retain the information thats most important to them. JUNE 2021SEEDWORLD.COM /49'