b'Michelle Klieger Michelle is the president of Stratagerm Consulting, a food and agricultural con-sulting firm. An economist and a business strategist, she works with the global seed industry, ag tech companies, conven-tional and non-conventional agriculture firms, and philanthropic foundations. Taking her around the world, her work helps industry leaders manage and grow their global businesses.She helps clients find, access, and Bryan Gerard leverage funding and financing to sup- Amanda PatinBryan is the president and co-ownerport their vision of a more economicallyAmanda, the Business Development of JoMar Seeds, an elite wheat licens- and environmentally sustainable system.Director for U.S. Crop Sciences at SGS ing company. Beginning as a businessHer work includes researching andNorth America, Inc., holds a masters teacher and basketball coach in Indianaunderstanding the underlying constraints,degree in agricultural education and a from 1984 to 1992, he honed his skills indeveloping alternatives, and evaluatingthesis in entomology from the University leadership and strategic thinking. Thesethe economic impact of those changes. of Arizona. She began working with early experiences laid a robust founda- Michelles passion for supporting smallseed testing at SGS North America, Inc. tion for his next venture, co-owningand medium sized producers and agri- in 2000 after her research in insecticide and leading JGL, Inc. from 1992 to 2012.businesses led to the creation of her pod- resistance led to a publication in Nature. Under his stewardship, JGL, Inc. becamecast, The Grower & The Economist, whichOver the next 17 years, she directed a premier supplier of soybean andprovides listeners with relevant and practi- research studies on seed amendments, wheat genetics across North and Southcal economic and business advice. She isimproving testing methods, evaluating America, Europe, and Africa, effectivelythe author of The Demise of Free Trade,mechanical damage during seed harvest managing the intellectual property ofand a professor of Economics at Bentleyand conditioning, and assessing seed and numerous breeding programs throughUniversity. She holds a Master of Scienceseedling responses to different amend-comprehensive licensing agreements. in Agriculture Economics from Purduements.Within ASTA, he has served in numer- University and an MBA from IndianaSince 2017, Amanda has been the key ous capacities including the chair ofUniversitys Kelley School of Business. account manager for Seed at SGS North SeedFirstPac and multiple key commit- Why she serves on the Seed WorldAmerica, Inc. and in 2022 became the tees, influencing critical areas like smallU.S.business development director for SGS editorial board: From the outside, grains, farm seed and intellectual prop- the seed industry looks small, we areCrop Sciences. Over the last 24 years erty rights. His global perspective wasone little sector within a large industry.Amanda has participated on various further enhanced through his representa- But inside the seed industry, there areASTA committees and has chaired the tion in the International Seed Federation,so many different types of expertise andSeed Industry Relations Committee and where he served two terms as the chairunderstanding other parts of the industrythe Seed Treatment and Environmental of the Field Crop Section. He has madeis so important for individual and com- Committee. She has served on the Seed ongoing contributions to Seeds Canadapany success. Many people only knowScience Foundation subject matter panel and the Indiana Crop Improvementtheir one tiny piece of the industry andand acted as an associate editor for Seed Association. He serves on the U.S. PlantSeed World can provide the bigger pic- Technology. Amanda is dedicated to pro-Variety Review Board, where his expertiseture and still be seed industry-specific. viding customer care, technical expertise shapes the future of seed technology andin seed testing, and seed assessment agricultural policies.services for quality and newly developed Why he serves on the Seed Worldproducts, helping others enhance their U.S.seed quality testing knowledge.editorial board: I love working with an amazing team of professionals withWhy she serves on the Seed World different backgrounds and experiencesU.S. board: Seed World U.S. highlights in the seed industry. My own experiencesthe seed industrys passionate people and from a local, regional, national, continentaltheir businesses, alongside telling the sto-and international level have allowed me tories of new technology and industry chal-recognize the need for a voice and Seedlenges and solutions. By serving on the World provides that voice. To be a part ofeditorial board, I am allowed to share in and a participant with Seed World is andthe learning and enthusiasm of an indus-has been a valued experience. try which I am very passionate about.14/ SEEDWORLD.COMJUNE 2024'