NorthStar Genetics CEO Dan Hogstad will retire at the end of the month. Hogstad has been in this role since the company was formed 23 years ago. “That fall we got our Roundup Ready license from Monsanto and that was a game-changer,” said Hogstad. “We moved into the Red River Valley and we found an early bean that nobody else had and it gave us a jump start.” Since that time, the seed business has gone from one trait to stacked traits. That has changed the dynamics in the seed industry, giving more significance to maintaining access to key traits. In this time of mergers in the seed and crop protection industry, Hogstad says the connection regional companies have with their farmers becomes more important. “The relationship side of the business is as necessary and strong as ever. It still is a ‘people’ business.” As of October 1, Lyle Marcus will be the new CEO. Marcus is the chief operating officer and has been with NorthStar Genetics for five years.
