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

46

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

Mastering the Online Interview

Global executive search firm Kincannon & Reed has been working remotely for more than 35 years facilitating video interviews long before it became a necessity. The firm recently shared with Hunt Scanlon Media some best practices to help clients and candidates prepare to engage remotely, present their best, and ultimately determine if this is someone you

Coming to Work with Higher Leadership Expectations

The virtualization of work has impacted more than the workday. It has impacted every level of business. Importantly, leaders are thinking differently about attracting, developing, and retaining talent. The new work environment has increased the competition for high performing talent. Hiring managers across the food and agriculture industries, for one, are re-designing strategies and thinking through new

Kincannon & Reed Recruits President for the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils 

After a four month search, executive recruitment firm Kincannon & Reed has placed Kailee Tkacz Buller as the new president of the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils (ISEO) in Washington, D.C. ISEO is a trade association representing the refiners of edible fats and oils in the U.S. Managing directors Paul Miller and Michael Cooper led the

Kincannon & Reed Recruits CEO for California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

Executive search firm Kincannon & Reed has placed Dwight Ferguson as the new president and chief executive officer of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF), a non-profit public benefit corporation committed to leadership training and transformational learning experiences. The foundation operates the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP), a major leadership development program. Spearheading the assignment for

Press Releases

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

Dairy Industry Sustainability EVP Placed by K&R

Kincannon & Reed Principals Ed Yuhas, Sally Day, and Gary Weihs extend their congratulations to Lori Captain who joined the Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) team as the Executive Vice President, Sustainability Strategy last week. An ambassador for U.S. Dairy, Lori Captain will provide insight on the global sustainability landscape and strategic direction for increased industry visibility. She is responsible

K&R Places Global CEO for Rice Seed Company

Kincannon & Reed Managing Partner Heiri Gugger and Director Crystal Strauss join Managing Director Cassie Edgar in congratulating Karsten Neuffer as he begins his new role as Global Chief Executive Officer with RiceTec, Inc. this month. Appointed to the position by the RiceTec Board of Directors, Neuffer follows the retirement of RiceTec’s former Global CEO Mike Gumina. As the hybrid rice