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.

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.

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.

News Briefings

Kincannon & Reed Appoints President

Executive recruitment firms have made a number of top leadership appointments in the past year, many focused on strategy, growth, branding efforts and operations. The latest: Waynesboro, VA-based executive search firm Kincannon & Reed named David Turner as its new president. “Having spent nearly a decade working with our team and processes around the world, we’re confident David

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.

Press Releases

K&R Partners with Animal Nutrition Leader on COO Search

(May 2022) Kincannon & Reed Managing Directors Jimmy Paulakuhn and Jim Gerardot extend their congratulations to Robert Schubert on joining the team at Livestock Nutrition Center as the company’s Chief Operating Officer earlier this month. Schubert is responsible for building and executing the business strategy of the organization, driving greater efficiencies and alignment throughout. Reporting to the President &

Adapt 2022: Insights from AESC Global Conference

(May 2022) Attracting and retaining top talent today is a different game. Fortunately, the opportunities outweigh the challenges. Last week, the Association of Executive Search & Leadership Consultants (AESC) held its annual global conference where search industry professionals connected to share experiences and gain insights into the current state of the industry and what the future

Agtech Company Partners with K&R for Intellectual Property Search

(May 2022) Kincannon & Reed principals Crystal Strauss and Fred Medero congratulate Michael Stimson on joining the Sun World International team as Vice President, Intellectual Property. California-based agriculture and technology company Sun World International engages in fruit variety development, ag-technology, intellectual property (IP), and licensing. Not only does Sun World’s technology & IP pursuits include a large portfolio of patent plants,

K&R Partners with Terviva to Expand R&D Team

(May 2022) Managing Directors Lisa Johnson and Paul Izenstark extend their congratulations to Dilip Nakhasi and David Pirazzini on joining the team at Terviva recently as the Vice President of Innovation, Edible Oils and the Director of Food Technology and Applications respectively. VP of Innovation, Edible Oils Nakhasi joins the Terviva team with a strong technical background, bringing over