Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum, Ph.D., Elected to Lead Board of Directors.
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research board of directors has elected Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University to chair the board, effective today.
Keenum was appointed to the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research board in August 2014 by then-Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
“I am very proud to have been part of the startup of this organization from day one and I commend the full board for giving their time and energy to something that is bigger than all of us. I look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues to continue building on the extraordinary progress we have made to create the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research.”
Outgoing chair Dan Glickman, former Agriculture Secretary and executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, will remain on the board executive committee as past chair.
The following slate of officers were elected by unanimous vote:
- Chair: Mark Keenum, Ph.D. Mississippi State University president
- Vice Chair: Pam Johnson, National Corn Growers Association past president
- Secretary: Mike Ladisch, Ph.D., Purdue University distinguished professor and director
- Treasurer: Chris Mallett, Ph.D., Cargill, Inc. corporate vice president, research and development
“We have the privilege of turning over the position of Chair to Mark Keenum, whose leadership experience at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on Capitol Hill and as president of Mississippi State University make him uniquely qualified to lead this board,” said Glickman. “I am confident that under Dr. Keenum’s leadership, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research will continue to advance toward transformational impact.”
New officers were elected as part of the Foundation board meeting held this week in Washington.
