Craig Anderson Named CEO of Ag Alumni Seed
Craig Anderson has been appointed Chief Executive Officer by Agriculture Alumni Seed Improvement Association Inc. (Ag Alumni Seed).
With over 35 years of experience in the seed industry, Anderson will work closely with existing international partners, explore opportunities for growth in global markets and provide strategic guidance to support Ag Alumni Seed’s talented team. He will also support development of improved genetics and oversee facility improvements to sustain organizational success in research and innovation.
This transition follows more than a decade of strong collaboration between Purdue University and the leadership of Jay Hulbert, who served as the CEO of Ag Alumni Seed for 12 years.
Under Hulbert’s leadership, the company experienced sales growth, launched innovative international partnerships and strengthened its relationship with Purdue Agriculture, laying a solid foundation for continued success.
“Ag Alumni Seed has a strong popcorn breeding program that goes back many decades, so continuing this research is going to be critical,” Anderson said. “Coming into a very successful company that’s already running quite nicely, I will focus on figuring out how I can best support the team and identify areas where we can invest time and energy to continue growing.”
Ag Alumni Seed’s strong ties to Purdue University are integral to its success. The organization invests residual returns in the College of Agriculture while benefiting from Purdue’s advanced infrastructure, including cutting-edge technology and research facilities like the Ag Alumni Seed Phenotyping Facility. This collaboration encourages a mutually beneficial relationship that drives growth and innovation.
“Ag Alumni Seed is an important research partner for the college with a long history of collaboration,” said Bernie Engel, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. “I’m excited to work with Craig in his new role as we build on Ag Alumni Seed’s successful foundation and look ahead to the next generation of innovation in crop production.”
Anderson was drawn to Ag Alumni Seed’s long-standing success and its reputation as a leader in the popcorn breeding industry.
“I was excited about returning to an Indiana-based ag seed company, especially given the international scope of business,” Anderson said. “With the diverse market for popcorn and Ag Alumni Seed’s existing business partners across the globe, I saw this as a chance to dive into something new while staying within the seed industry.”
Reflecting on his career, Anderson takes pride in his ability to drive growth by unlocking the potential within research and development teams and turning that potential into commercial opportunities. He looks forward to leveraging this expertise to encourage continued success at Ag Alumni Seed.
“Craig Anderson has demonstrated his ability to continue the success of Ag Alumni Seed’s domestic and international popcorn research and sales initiatives,” said Marshall Martin, board chair of the Agricultural Alumni Seed Improvement Association. “His proven proficiency in the development and implementation of business strategy will be invaluable as we continue to grow.”
Written by Devyn Raver, Purdue Agriculture Communications