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

3 Actions for Successful Inclusive Leadership

The jury is in: inclusive leadership is successful leadership. According to a recent Kincannon & Reed survey, food and agriculture industry executives indicated that critical leadership characteristics in executive recruitment and engagement include emotional intelligence (74 percent) and diversity, equity and inclusion (77 percent). The growing interest in diversity expectations from employees, customers, and shareholders

Kincannon & Reed Announces Leadership Changes

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has started the year with some leadership changes. After four years of dedicated service as the president of Kincannon & Reed, managing partner David Turner will assume the role of chairman of the board. “This transition is a carefully considered step

Kincannon & Reed Recruits President and COO for Clarkson Grain Company

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, recently placed Kevin Pray as the organization’s new president and chief operating officer of Clarkson Grain Company. The assignment was led by managing partner John Wright and managing director Carolyn Schubert. “A seasoned ag professional, Kevin’s strong background in both

Kincannon & Reed Places Two Top Leaders for AgReliant Genetics

Executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed, which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, recently helped to fill two key leadership roles for AgReliant Genetics in Westfield, IN. Brian Barker is the new chief executive officer and president of the biotechnology research company, and David Pugh, who was hired a few weeks earlier, is

> <

Kincannon & Reed

Press Releases

Sales Leader Placed by K&R at Indiana Packers

Premier vertically integrated pork company Indiana Packers Corporation (IPC) recently welcomed Mike Riley to the organization as the new Vice President of Processed Meat Sales. A seasoned sales leader, Riley brings more than three decades of experience in food production across a variety of functions. Throughout his tenure in the industry, he’s held roles with

K&R Places CEO at Topigs Norsvin

Topigs Norsvin is pleased to announce the appointment of Dick Hordijk as its new CEO. He will make up the Board of Directors of Topigs Norsvin alongside the current directors, Pieter van Sundert (CFO) and Hans Olijslagers (CTO). Dick Hordijk is from the Netherlands and starts in his new position on March 31, 2025. He

Grounded Capital Partners with K&R on Principal Search

Investment firm Grounded Capital recently welcomed Mike Denny to the organization as a Principal. In his new role, Denny will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer to lead the management of all farms and ranches currently in the portfolio, in addition to developing and implementing strategies to grow Grounded Capital’s agricultural holdings. His responsibilities

K&R Places VP of Operations at MPS Egg Farms

This month, MPS Egg Farms welcomed Edward Chisholm to their growing organization as the Vice President of Operations. As the new VP of Operations, Chisholm will be responsible for steering the company’s operational strategy across all departments, setting and driving performance objectives in areas including production, processing, customer service, mills, vaccination, and labor management. Collaborating

> <