Harris Moran seed company announces new strategic additions

Date:05-20-2011

Harris Moran Seed Company, part of the Business Unit (BU) HM.CLAUSE, owned by Group Limagrain, is pleased to announce several strategic additions to it’s Research and Breeding organization.  Dr. Mark Stowers joins the organization as Vice President of Research and Breeding, based in Davis, CA and Dr. Pat Mosely joins the company as the Director of Large Seed Breeding, based in Sun Prairie, WI.

Dr. Stowers has spent over 28 years in management within research and development. He has over 10 years in the vegetable seed industry working for Monsanto and Seminis, prior to Monsanto’s acquisition of the company.  While at Monsanto Dr. Stowers was responsible for fruit and vegetable interests, and led the identification and acquisition of Gargiulo, then one of the largest fresh market tomato producers. Additionally his team at Monsanto secured the first approved genetically modified crop, a tomato with delayed ripening characteristics.  At Seminis he held the title of Vice President of Worldwide Marketing where he led the company’s multi-branded marketing strategy.

At Harris Moran Seed Company, Dr. Stowers will lead a talented team of breeders dedicated to all different species and a network of research stations, positioned strategically in different regions of the world.

Dr. Mosely holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding & Cytogenetics, with an emphasis on field corn, from Iowa State University, and a Masters degree in Plant Breeding, with an emphasis on sweet corn, from the University of Wisconsin. His career began as a Sweet Corn Breeder for Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. He was promoted to Director of Research and most recently, held the position of President for the Sweet Corn Division of Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. Dr. Mosely, is one of the most recognized leaders in the sweet corn industry. He will help accelerate the leadership position of the Harris Moran brand in the global sweet corn and green bean markets.

Since the formation of business unit, HM.CLAUSE, one key priority has been to strengthen the BU’s position in sweet corn and green bean markets. The expansion of the research & leadership teams is the next step in this implementation, as was the 2010 acquisition of Mesa Maize, Inc., a well-known leader in the development of high quality se hybrids.

With the acquisition of Mesa Maize, HM.CLAUSE through the Harris Moran brand has been able to rapidly increase its share of the sweet corn market in the United States. The addition of the Mesa Maize genetics widens the germplasm bank within the Harris Moran breeding program and will serve to strengthen the overall program, with specific emphasis on combining high eating quality to the existing high level of agronomic traits.