AMVAC adds two new hires

AMVAC has made the following personnel moves:

Rick Rice joined AMVAC September 28, 2015 as Director of Application Technology, responsible for executing AMVAC’s long-range global business plan to expand and improve AMVAC’s existing SmartBox delivery system for granular soil insecticides and the development of AMVAC’s next-generation SIMPAS application technology.

Rice has deep roots in the crop protection chemistry business and brings in-depth industry perspective plus recent development expertise in the world of precision agriculture.

Peter Eilers, Global Director of Business Development and Marketing, states, “Rick is joining AMVAC at a critical time of growth for the company and has a great mix of big and small company experience.  We’re confident that Rick will help establish AMVAC as the industry leader in the area of prescription-applied crop chemistry solutions.”

Rice joins AMVAC from Plant Health Care, Inc., where he was Director, Market Development. He led the process to develop, patent, and commercialize the process of automated spatial analysis of electronic yield data. Rice previously worked in various marketing and management roles for Monsanto and AgrEvo (now owned by Bayer CropScience).  He will be based at AMVAC’s office in Collierville, TN.

Jim Lappin, Crop Marketing Manager, Corn and Soy joined AMVAC October 1, 2015. He assumes the marketing responsibility for AMVAC’s important Midwest product portfolio and will implement operational and strategic crop and product-based marketing and innovation initiatives.  Lappin brings broad technical and strategic experience with traditional synthetic agricultural chemicals and biologicals.

Peter Eilers, Global Director of Business Development and Marketing, states, “Jim’s proven track record in the selection, development, commercialization and management of products/portfolios will greatly contribute to the success of our Marketing Team.”

Lappin has over 30 years of experience in agriculture, working at Monsanto, American Cyanamid, BASF and FMC, as well as startup entrepreneurial companies. He has served in a broad variety of roles including sales, marketing, key account management and business development in both domestic and global capacities.