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

Kelly Griffin

Vice President, Search Delivery

Ed Yuhas

Managing Director

Gary Weihs

Managing Partner

Jon Leafstedt

Managing Partner

Michael Whitney

Managing Partner

Phillip Osborne

Managing Partner

Cassie Edgar

Managing Director

Carolyn Schubert

Managing Director

Paul Izenstark

Managing Director

Paul Miller

Managing Director

Sally Day

Managing Director

Caroline Petit

Senior Associate

Warren Ward

Managing Director

Crystal Strauss

Director

Melissa Karman

Senior Associate

Pat Rojas

Senior Associate

Whitney Dooley

Senior Associate

Aaron Locker

Managing Director

Oliver Cassels

Associate Managing Director | Europe

Aidan Connolly

Managing Director

Christophe Dumont

Managing Director

Patrick Fitzgerald

Managing Director

Heiri Gugger, PhD

Managing Director

Lisa Johnson

Managing Director

Jon Lowe

Managing Director

Abby McMillin

Managing Director

Gabriella Snoeck

Director

Attila von Hankó

Director & Associate Partner

Emily Wagner

Senior Associate | Des Moines, IA

John Wright

Managing Director

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

Kincannon & Reed is a global leadership advisory firm exclusively serving the food and agriculture industries. We partner with organizations across the value chain to identify, recruit, assess, develop, and retain the leaders who drive performance and long-term success.

Executive Search & Leadership Solutions

Through our retained executive search practice and K&R EDGE leadership solutions, we support clients across the full leadership lifecycle—including leadership assessment, executive coaching, performance management, and succession planning. From CEOs and board directors to commercial, operations, research, and functional leaders, we deliver tailored search and advisory services grounded in deep sector expertise and a global network built over four decades.

Kincannon & Reed

News Briefings

Kincannon & Reed Assists American Vanguard Corporation with CEO Search

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has assisted in the recruitment of Douglas Kaye as the new CEO of American Vanguard Corporation in Newport Beach, CA. Heinrich Gugger and Stephen Coffey spearheaded the search. Eric G. Wintemute concluded his position as CEO with American Vanguard this

Kincannon & Reed Fills CEO Position for Topigs Norsvin

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has assisted in the recruitment of Dick Hordijk as the new CEO of Topigs Norsvin. Principals Attila von Hankó and Michael Whitney led the assignment. ‘’We are very pleased with the appointment of Dick,” said Mark Tijssen, chairman of the

Kincannon & Reed Fills Senior Operations Role for MPS Egg Farms

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has assisted in the recruitment of Edward Chisholm as vice president of operations at MPS Egg Farms in North Manchester, IN. “A future-focused leader, Edward has a demonstrated track record of success in optimizing operational performance,” said Jim Gerardot, Jr., managing

Kincannon & Reed Names Senior Leader

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has appointed Sally Day as the managing director of K&R EDGE – Leadership Solutions. “We have seen an increase in the demand for leadership development services, and Sally is exceptionally qualified to lead this division,” said Stephanie Liska, president. “Her extensive

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Kincannon & Reed

Press Releases

K&R Places Head of China at Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods China, a division of the leading global food multinational Tyson Foods, recently welcomed Xiaoling Liu to the organization as the Head of China. Xiaoling brings an impressive blend of general management, operations, and B2B/B2C commercial expertise accumulated over the past fifteen years at Cargill. Her previous leadership roles include Regional Managing Director Chocolate

K&R places COO at Izzio Artisan Bakery

Izzio Artisan Bakery, America’s #1 sourdough artisan bakery, recently announced the appointment of Rob Clamp as its new Chief Operating Officer. Rob’s background includes 10 years of experience in the bakery business, with a strong focus on implementing key performance indicators, change management, and process improvement. His leadership experience started with his role as a

Kincannon & Reed Welcomes Aaron Locker as Managing Director

Kincannon & Reed, a leading executive search and leadership development firm exclusively serving organizations throughout the food and agriculture industries, is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Locker as Managing Director. In his role as Managing Director, Locker will be consulting with clients on the recruitment and development of senior-level leadership and bring thirty

K&R Welcomes Joe Marques as Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant

K&R EDGE Leadership Solutions for Food & Ag, a division of Kincannon & Reed, announces a collaboration with Joe Marques to provide executive coaching and leadership consulting services. With over 25 years of experience in leadership development and organizational strategy, particularly in the consumer goods and food sectors, Marques brings a wealth of expertise to

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