.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} What does your typical day look like?

We have approximately 3,000 researchers spread out globally working on improving plant productivity to feed a growing population. A typical morning starts off with a connection to India and China, the Philippines and Indonesian groups to understand what’s going on over there. The next part of the morning is spent connecting with the Europeans as their afternoon sort of wraps up, and finally we come to the North American and South American continents to review the results there. My best days are spent working with our global team members to monitor the progress that we’re making.

I understand you’ve lived overseas?

I spent the first six years of my career in Illinois working with Pioneer as a researcher. I then moved to France with Pauline and lived in Europe for 10 years – six of those years in France, a year in Italy and then two and a half years in Belgium – where I not only practiced my science, but also led the research team.

How was that experience?

The most exciting aspect of living outside your country is the cultural, language and everyday living challenges that one faces. Nothing is easy. You’re continually challenged to learn new things, adapt to new ways of doing things and to ultimately represent your county in a positive light. We had great opportunity to not only learn more about the business and learn about the European Union, but the expanding markets in Ukraine and Russia.

How did you get involved with the ICF?

Pioneer really thinks about strategic philanthropy in three principal areas: rural development, education and diversity. I was very intrigued with the strength of the Iowa private college network and the quality of student they were producing on an annual basis. Our value proposition is the opportunity for businesses to contribute to private education, which generates better students, students that are willing to stay in Iowa or the surrounding states and students that will ultimately lead their organizations. … I really try to limit my participation to those boards that I believe so strongly in that I would be willing to serve as the chairperson for that board. Being a part of the ICF for me was a dream come true; to be able to have that kind of an input and that kind of impact on the lives of so many students and to be able to connect my business associates into that. As we face these headwinds of the global financial crisis, climate change, terrorism … it seems to me there’s no better time for us to focus on ensuring that education remains on the forefront.

What’s one accomplishment that you are particularly proud of?

I’m very proud to be part of a Des Moines that has really given emphasis to the arts … to create a vibrant community where my children can interact with a broad mix of individuals, cultures, diversity in a way that they are better prepared and capable to move into the global setting and be proud of where they come from and where they were raised. I’m very proud of the way the community has evolved in the 12 years that we’ve lived here to be a much more inclusive environment, and I think an environment that really not only facilitates, but encourages students to step out of their comfort zone and to go into that area where their potential resides.