INDIANAPOLIS — AgriNovus Indiana, the state’s initiative to promote and accelerate the growth of the agbiosciences sector, has added new members to its board of directors:

• Luca Bonini, CEO of Italpollina
• Brian Emerick, board representative for the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and CEO of MicroPulse
• Susanne Wasson, president of the Crop Protection Business Platform for Corteva Agriscience, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont

“The addition of this diverse group of leaders to the AgriNovus Board of Directors exemplifies the commitment of global innovators and local and regional economic development organizations to growing the Indiana agbioscience sector,” said Beth Bechdol, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “Italpollina, a global leader in the biostimulant industry, has made Indiana home to its latest production and research facilities. The regional economic development initiative from northeast Indiana recognizes the critical strategic opportunities to grow business and talent in their communities. And, we welcome an outstanding new representative from one of our founding investors and partners, Corteva Agriscience.”

Luca Bonini is the CEO of Italpollina. Bonini is the third generation at the helm of this European-based family business with an expansive global reach. Operating today in more than 70 countries worldwide, with four production sites and 13 commercial offices, Italpollina’s proprietary technologies are utilized in the production of organic fertilizers, beneficial microbials, and 100 percent vegetal-based biostimulants. Most recently, Italpollina opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Anderson, Ind. and are now adding a research and development center, Italpollina Park, there as well.

Bonini graduated from Bocconi Commercial University in Milan with a degree in Business Strategy. In 2016, he was appointed “Officier du Merite Agricole” by the French Government – an honor that is of the second most important in France and given to people strongly committed to the development of agriculture.

Brian Emerick serves on the board of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership (NEIRP) and will represent the organization on the AgriNovus Board. NEIRP encompasses 11 counties, including: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. The organization’s mission is to build, market and sell Northeast Indiana to increase business investments.

Emerick is CEO and founder of Micropulse, Inc. He is a serial entrepreneur and has helped launch ten companies through his “Orthovation” business incubator. He serves on the Board of Trustees of AgriNovus investor Huntington University. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Indiana Wesleyan University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.

Susanne Wasson is president of the Crop Protection Business Platform for Corteva Agriscience and serves as the new board representative to AgriNovus for the company. Previously, she was the Vice President of Commercial Effectiveness. Wasson held several leadership roles with Dow AgroSciences, including the US Commercial Leader of the Crop Protection Business, Global Business Leader for the Range and Pasture and Industrial Vegetation Management Herbicide Business. She is currently on the Board of Directors of United Way of Central Indiana and is the Board Chair of Crop Life America and the National FFA Foundation Sponsors Board.

Wasson earned degrees in Agricultural Economics and Accounting from Oklahoma State University, and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University.

AgriNovus Indiana is a strategic initiative that is guided by an Executive Committee and Board of Directors comprised of stakeholders from business, university, community and government leaders across Indiana’s diverse food and agricultural sector. AgriNovus Indiana’s board of directors serve as advocates for the initiative to other community and industry representatives.

About AgriNovus Indiana 
AgriNovus Indiana is the state’s initiative focused on advancing the agbiosciences sector as a nationally recognized leader through education, research and talent development; strategic collaborations among corporations, industry associations, government and universities; the creation and support of new companies; and branding and targeted promotions to elevate the sector. AgriNovus Indiana is part of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), an effort dedicated to the region’s continued prosperity and growth. To learn more, visit agrinovusindiana.com.

— AgriNovus Indiana

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