THE EXCHANGE: Summer 2024

It is with sadness that we share the news of the passing of Ambassador Richard "Dick" Crowder, a respected former colleague, alumnus, and friend of the department.

After serving for years in leading roles in industry and government, Dick returned to the department in 2008, serving as the C.G. Thornhill Professor of Agricultural Trade, a post he held until his retirement in 2019. During his time in the department, he helped establish the Virginia Agricultural Trade Conference, now a marquee annual event that brings together leading policymakers, diplomats, trade negotiators, agricultural producers, and agribusiness interests.

Before returning to Virginia Tech, Dick served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. He worked for Exxon as a staff economist, then for Wilson, the Pillsbury Company, and Eckrich. Crowder served as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs from 1989 to 1992 before becoming the Senior Vice President of DeKalb Genetics Corporation, then head of the American Seed Trade Association. Ambassador Crowder received numerous accolades throughout his career for tirelessly supporting agriculture, farming, and agribusiness. We will miss him!

This August, Mario Ortez has agreed to serve as the next J and Renae Pearson Collegiate Faculty Fellow. Mario brings a wealth of industry and academic expertise regarding agricultural product pricing and marketing, supply chain management, and investment analysis. Currently, he is an Investment Associate with Teays River Investments, a private equity firm in Zionsville, IN.

Ortez completed his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics at Purdue University in 2022, working with faculty in Purdue's Center for Food and Agricultural Business. Before attending Purdue, he worked for over four years as a Pricing Manager with JBS in Greely, CO. In addition to teaching traditional and experiential agribusiness management courses, Mario will work with the Kohl Centre to establish stronger industry ties. We welcome him to Virginia Tech!

This will be my last newsletter update.

As some of you may know, I will leave Virginia Tech later this summer to join Clemson University as the next dean of their College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences. While I am excited to be moving into this new role, it is with no small amount of sadness I leave behind many good friends, colleagues, students, alumni, and collaborators at Virginia Tech. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as the department head for the past seven years. During this time, the department has grown and changed in many ways. I am proud of the work we have done and the accomplishments we achieved. While I will no longer be at Virginia Tech, I will follow the department's progress with continued enthusiasm. I know its best days still lie ahead.

Over the summer, George Davis will begin serving as the interim department head. Davis, professor and associate department head, is a tested and trusted hand who will bring thoughtfulness, attentiveness, and a nearly insatiable curiosity to the role. I have no doubt he will serve the department well.