Syngenta names industry veteran new head of Enogen® corn enzyme technology

Syngenta recently announced that Ron Wulfkuhle, head of GreenLeaf Genetics®, has been appointed the new head of Enogen® corn technology.
 
Wulfkuhle brings over 30 years of agricultural industry experience to the position. After being raised on a family farm in Kansas and graduating from Kansas State University, he started as an Arkansas-based sales rep for Ciba-Geigy in 1984 before taking on sales and marketing positions across a variety of commercial units and legacy companies of Syngenta. Most recently, he oversaw the significant growth of the GreenLeaf™ business after it was fully acquired by Syngenta in 2010.
 
“Ron is a tremendous colleague and well-respected leader at Syngenta,” said Jeff Rowe, president of global seeds and North America, Syngenta. “His more than three decades of experience in this industry make him the perfect candidate to continue expanding access to Enogen, growing adoption of innovative initiatives like the Ethanol Grower Advantage, and further building demand for Earth-friendly American ethanol.” 
 
Enogen corn enzyme technology is an in-seed innovation available from Syngenta that features the first biotech corn output trait designed to enhance ethanol production. It creates a win-win-win scenario by adding value for ethanol plants, corn growers and rural communities.
 
“Syngenta is proud to support and promote corn ethanol production, an industry that is helping America reduce its dependence on foreign oil, lower prices at the pump, improve the environment with lower emissions and grow the economy with jobs that can’t be outsourced,” Wulfkuhle said. “It’s my pleasure to continue – and grow – this commitment.”
 
In addition to developing Enogen, Syngenta offers the Ethanol Grower Advantage program, which increases potential return of investment on corn grown for ethanol. Enrolled growers of Enogen, Golden Harvest® and/or NK® Corn for ethanol combine agronomic recommendations, high-yielding seed and best-in-class crop inputs to deliver higher-quality grain to ethanol plants in exchange for a per-bushel premium.
 
Wulfkuhle replaces Jack Bernens, who is retiring at the end of December. An almost 35-year veteran of Syngenta and its legacy companies, Bernens was instrumental in the establishment of the Enogen business and growing it to nearly 15 percent share of market in the corn ethanol industry since its launch in 2011.