Kincannon & Reed

About Us

Food and agriculture: industries as unique as the people who lead them. And no one knows them like we do. We’re Kincannon & Reed, a global executive search firm exclusively serving organizations within the food and agriculture industries.

Our approach is different
With 40 years of experience across diverse international sectors, we know the caliber of leaders needed to shape a promising future for the food and agriculture industries.

We’ve sat in your chair.
Empty seats at your leadership table or ineffective executives hurt profits, morale, and market share. Our principals are well-networked, former industry executives who understand your priorities and the talent you seek. We advise you as a colleague or peer, rather than an outsider. Learn who we are.

Knowing your next leader is our job.
We are a team of search professionals serving clients focused on feeding the world and keeping it healthy. We leverage our deep industry knowledge, data, and connections to identify and place leaders with the right experiences, values, and cultural fit. Learn who we serve.

Providing search expertise and more
Our search professionals partner with you throughout the process. We ask questions, listen for understanding, and assess candidates from the informed perspective of former executives. We have a genuine interest in your organization’s next leader. Learn what we do.

Kincannon & Reed

Our Team

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You’re looking for an impact player. Start by meeting ours.
We are a team of search professionals who know the value of qualified leadership, diversity, and the important role we play in the future of the food and agriculture industries – our reputation proves it.

Kincannon & Reed

Solutions And Expertise

Serving clients who feed the world and keep it healthy.
We’re a firm with a focus – specializing in delivering leaders. Our clients from across the globe are all types and sizes of organizations. If food and agriculture are part of your business model, we have principals with experience and connections in your industry.

Executive Roles in Which We Specialize
Whether you’re looking for a CEO, research leader, marketing strategist or operations head, Kincannon & Reed’s executive level search experience spans diverse functional roles.

Kincannon & Reed

News Briefings

The Illinois Soybean Association Taps Kincannon & Reed to Find CEO

The Illinois Soybean Association has retained Waynesboro, VA-based executive search firm Kincannon & Reed to launch a national search for its next CEO. Managing directors Lisa Johnson and Carolyn Schubert are leading the assignment. The Illinois Soybean Association is a statewide organization that enables Illinois soybean producers to be the most knowledgeable and profitable soybean producers in the

Kincannon & Reed Recruits CTO for Calyxt

Waynesboro, VA-based executive search firm Kincannon & Reed has recruited Travis Frey as the new chief technology officer of Calyxt, a healthy food ingredient company in Roseville, MN. Dr. Frey brings extensive knowledge in plant biology and biotechnology to a newly created position at the company. As CTO, he will be responsible for the research and development

Kincannon & Reed Recruiting Veteran Gregory Duerksen Dies at 61

Gregory J. Duerksen, chairman and former CEO of Kincannon & Reed, died unexpectedly in Richmond, VA, on January 31. He was 61. Mr. Duerksen joined Kincannon & Reed in 2001 and became chairman and CEO in 2007. “Greg’s contribution to the firm cannot be overstated,” said Issy Perez, president and CEO of Kincannon & Reed.

Kincannon & Reed

Press Releases

K&R Expands Global Team with Addition of Managing Director

(September 2022) Kincannon & Reed welcomes Christophe Dumont to the firm as a Managing Director. A global executive with a passion for talent identification and development, Dumont has been building and leading high performing teams throughout his 30-year career serving the ag and food value chain. He joins 24 other global principals who work exclusively

K&R Places CEO with Beet Sugar Coop

Kincannon & Reed principals Gary Weihs and David Turner extend their congratulations to Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative’s (SMBSC) newest Chief Executive Officer Paul Fry. Previously the VP of Operations at Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, Fry has been in the sugar industry for more than two decades. Other roles held by Fry include Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer and President across

K&R Places CEO for World’s Largest Carbon Capture Project

Kincannon & Reed Principals Warren Ward, Lisa Johnson and Jon Leafstedt congratulate Lee Blank on his new role of Chief Executive Officer for Summit Carbon Solutions (SCS). Blank’s career began with ADM, where he worked up through the ranks during his 15+ year tenure.  Most recently, Blank held the CEO & Board Advisor role with

Research Center Co-Director Placed by K&R

Kincannon & Reed Managing Director Jared Spader and Managing Partner Jon Leafstedt extend their congratulations to Joe McClure on joining the Iowa Soybean Association’s Research Center for Farming Innovation as the organization’s Co-Director. Nationally recognized, the Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) operates under the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) as an unbiased, reliable resource of

Kincannon & Reed

Multimedia

Food For Thought
Finding Resilience and Opportunity at WIA 2025
From Crisis to Clarity: Making Leadership a Strategic Priority in Ag
Employee Engagement: Why It Matters More Than Ever for Food & Ag Leaders
2025 Mid Year Global Talent Trends & Implications
Australia’s Executive Talent Crisis: Strategic Leadership in an Era of Scarcity
Is Your Executive Value Proposition Attracting Top Talent in Food & Agriculture?
The First 100 Days: Reframing Executive Onboarding to Accelerate Impact and Retention
Closing the Gap: Future-Proofing Leadership in Food & Ag
C-Suite Crisis: Why Finding the Right Leaders is Ag’s Biggest Challenge
Modern Milk, Modern Leadership: Why Talent is Dairy’s Next Competitive Edge
The AI-Powered Leader: Essential Strategies for the New Era
High Stakes, Fast Food: Leadership in QSR’s Complex Environment
Breaking New Ground: Insights in Building Food and Ag Leadership
Q1 Talent Trends & Implications for EMEA
Q1 Global Talent Trends & Implications
Beyond Innovation: Navigating A Shifting Agri-Food Landscape
Navigating Turbulence: Insights from the NGFA Annual Convention
Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women Leaders in Food and Agriculture
Authentic Leadership: A Catalyst for Success in the Evolving Dairy Industry
Year End Talent Trends & Implications for EMEA
Year End Global Talent Trends & Implications
Cultivating Change: The Essential Role of Leadership in Sustainable Agriculture
Driving Organizational Success: The Power of Communication and Collaboration
Elevating Your Leadership: The Power of Executive Search Partnerships
Unlocking Leadership Potential: The Value of Leadership Assessments
Driving Success: The Impact of Outside Board Directors
Mid Year EMEA Talent Trends & Implications
2024 Mid Year Talent Trends & Implications
Succession = Successful: The Importance of Succession Planning & Best Practices
Year End Global Talent Trends and Implications
The Impact of Purpose in Leadership
The ROI of Executive Coaching: Is it Worthwhile?
Inclusive Leadership: Three Actions for Successful Leaders
Human Capital Strategies of C-Suite Executives: The Future of Food and Ag
First Quarter Talent Trends and Implications
Optimism & Community Felt at Women In Ag summit
Future Food-Tech Event Highlights Sustainability, Scalability
Need for Adaptive Leadership, Innovative Solutions a Focus at World Agri-Tech Event
Five Talent Retention & Recruitment Strategies for Turbulent Times
Developing Leaders – The Role of an Executive Coach

To view all Kincannon & Reed Insights, please click here.

Case Studies:
Planting Seeds for Growth in a Biotech Leader
Blazing Trails for a Forestry Biotech Leader
High Profile Leader for A High Profile Enterprise
A Scientist vs. a Leader of Scientists
Finding a One-of-a-Kind Leader in a Vast Market
Searching the Seven Seas for Executive Talent

To view all Kincannon & Reed Case Studies, please click here.

The Impact of the Right Leader
Attracting the Right Leaders
Farm Foods Fact Podcast: The Shift In Food And Ag Labor Resources
Global & Industry Leaders