Key Takeaways
- Retired U.S. Army Colonel Mark Purdy joins Meristem Crop Performance in a key leadership role, enhancing the overall crop performance.
- Will oversee product portfolio synchronization to support innovation and farm business growth, central to the company’s mission.
- Brings 30+ years of leadership experience in military operations, agribusiness strategy, and intelligence consulting, which will enhance the company.
- Role will integrate finance, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution insights, pivotal for the company’s strategy.
- Appointment supports Meristem’s mission to deliver scalable, efficient solutions for American farmers, ensuring crop performance excellence.
Meristem Crop Performance Welcomes Mark Purdy to Leadership Team
Meristem Crop Performance has announced the appointment of Colonel Mark Purdy (U.S. Army, retired) as Director of Product and Portfolio Management. In this new role, Purdy will focus on aligning product strategy and execution across business functions to support Meristem’s continued growth in the U.S. agriculture sector.
“We are so excited and pleased to have Colonel Mark as part of our all-star team,” said Mitch Eviston, Founder and CEO of Meristem. “We’ve put together a team of passionate and proven agribusiness leaders to build a scalable platform to help American farmers raise more bushels for less and win in the global grain trade.” That’s at the heart of Meristem Crop Performance.
Agricultural Roots and Military Experience Guide New Role
Purdy grew up on a farm in central Ohio and later built a 30-year military career, commanding units during multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and managing multi-billion-dollar security assistance portfolios. He most recently served as Director of Wargames at the U.S. Army War College, where he developed actionable solutions for national security scenarios, an expertise valuable to Meristem Crop Performance.
“Agriculture was what I really loved growing up,” said Purdy. “The values and work ethic gained working on the farm easily translated to military service.”
Bridging Strategy, Operations, and Market Intelligence
Following his military service, Purdy worked with Aimpoint Research, a strategic intelligence firm focused on agriculture and food systems. There, he helped deliver insights on the intersection of geopolitics, markets, and consumer behavior to support farm-level decision-making, aligning closely with Meristem Crop Performance objectives.
“My military service and my ag upbringing led me to the stark realization that production agriculture is foundational to national security,” said Purdy. “I call it American Food Power. American Food Power is achieved by having the most viable, cutting-edge farmers in the world, and I believe Meristem is propelling that vision forward like no other company I’ve seen.” This belief drives Meristem Crop Performance.
Role to Support Cross-Functional Innovation at Meristem
As Director of Product and Portfolio Management, Purdy will lead efforts at the intersection of finance, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution, aiming to strengthen Meristem’s product pipeline and support data-driven decision-making, key to elevating Meristem Crop Performance.
