John Gerard has been dedicated to and a leader in the seed industry most of his career. John grew up on a small livestock, grain, and dairy farm outside of Delphi, Indiana, where he met his future wife, Marta. After graduating from Delphi, John attended Purdue University, graduating with a degree in Ag Education in 1960. His first introduction to the seed industry occurred shortly thereafter. To supplement his career as an Ag Teacher and FFA sponsor, he inspected fields for Indiana Crop Improvement. This eventually led to him accepting the position of General Manager of Indiana Crop Improvement Association, where he led a highly successful growth curve to ICIA. John wrote his master thesis on Seed Vigor, which caught the eye of Seyler Seed of Plymouth, Indiana. Together, they started VR Seeds, one of the first independent soybean companies in the U.S. Based on vigor and elite seed quality, John built VR Seeds into a million bag company and later sold to AgriGenetics, where he launched their licensing division. Always the entrepreneur, he left AgriGenetics and was one the forefront of the licensing world by starting JGL, Inc., an elite soybean and licensing company, Seed Genetics, Inc., a corn…Read More

Bill Latham, born in 1941, was raised on a grain and livestock farm in north central Iowa. He is a 1963 graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in agronomy, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and initiated into Alpha Zeta agricultural honor society. For several years after college, he served as a sales representative and agronomist for Monsanto Company with territories in Louisiana and eastern Nebraska. After a stint in the U.S. Marin Corp Reserve, Bill came home to the family seed business in 1966 where he became its president. Founded by his father, Willard, in 1947, Latham Seed Company was owned and managed by Bill and his brother Don. Another brother and owner, Tom, left the company to serve as U.S. Congressman in 1994. Bill managed the soybean variety development program, as well as overall management. The company grew to become one of the most successful soybean seed producers and marketers in the upper soybean belt, with a dealer organization in seven North Central states. Bill and his wife Linda have two sons, John, and Christopher. Both, along with John’s wife Shannon, are now owners of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds. John and Shannon have…Read More

In 1876, W. Atlee Burpee made the decision that would change American gardens forever. Atlee established his own mail-order poultry and livestock company. When his livestock customers told him that they needed a reliable source for quality seed, he obliged. In his second year of business, he reshaped his enterprise in the celebrated seed company we know today. In 1893, he became President of the American Seed Trade Association. Burpee was the first researched based seed company in the United States, offering new varieties of cabbage, carrots, lima beans celery and sweet pepper. In 1894, Atlee brough forward a lettuce that stayed crisper longer, the world-famous Iceberg. While still in his 20’s, Atlee was running the world’s fastest growing mail order seed company.

One of Owen Newlin’s most important contributions to the seed industry was his decision in 1971 as President of the Central Division of Pioneer, to substantially increase the planned production of hybrid number 3780 very early in its introduction. He and his team convinced the company to make an enormous jump from 10,000 bags to 500,000 bags in one year. Newlin believed so strongly in theperformance of the product that he was willing to take the risk, and it paid off. Pioneer sold over 20 million bags of hybrid 3780 over its 17-year period allowing the company to dramatically increase its market share for many years. It was an achievement that was realized because research, production, sales, and distribution all worked effectively as a team. Newlin was a long-time board member of the American Seed Research Foundation serving as president in 1982-84. He was also chair of the Corn and Sorghum Division of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) in 1975-76, Past Chair of the Subcommittee for ASTA Strategic and Allied Sponsors and served as president of ASTA from 1985-86. Hewas named an honorary member of ASTA in 1991 and received the first and only Lifetime Industry Achievement Award from…Read More

At age 15, Jerry Peterson joined the family seed business, working with his father and brothers Roy and Larry. Over a distinguished 50-year career, Jerry served as President of Peterson Seed Co. in Shakopee, MN,including a 13-year affiliation with Pioneer Hi-Bred International. He was President of the American Seed Trade Association in 1989 and Western Seed Trade Association and was very active in the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association, as well as other international associations. He was admired as an outstanding seedsman and a pure gentleman. He was always at ease with those who stood among his friends and even strangers. He often was the first one to extend a hand of fellowship and make people feel welcome in his presence. In May 1990 Jerry Peterson provided testimony to amend the 1970 Plant Variety Protection Act to preclude further abuse of the “Save Seed Exemption.”