We are thrilled to announce that Kevin Smith will become the Forever Green Initiative’s new Co-Director, helping to advance the vision of an Upper Midwest agricultural landscape that is productive, prosperous—and green all year round.
He will assume his role on June 15, joining Mitch Hunter and Nick Jordan, Forever Green’s current co-directors. Kevin will maintain his faculty appointment and take on this role at 20% time. When Nick begins a phased retirement in September, he will leave the Initiative in the hands of two leaders who both worked closely with Nick and his co-founder Don Wyse, and who are prepared to lead it forward during a time of immense opportunity.
“The fundamental vision of Forever Green as declared by Don Wyse to “cover the damn soil!” continues to be a great source of inspiration,” said Kevin. “I am honored to invest my energy in this new role to realize our shared goals. As co-director, I’ll strive to do that by helping to strengthen our interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research; develop strong partnerships with farmers and industry; and engage the University and broader community to work together to achieve our vision.”
Kevin Smith is a highly experienced professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, joining the faculty in 1998. Over his career, he has built an internationally recognized research program as a barley and oat breeder. He also leads the winter barley and silflower breeding programs, two highly promising crops in the Forever Green portfolio. He has served on the Forever Green Executive Committee since its inception in 2022.
“Kevin has been a creative and generous partner in the conception and evolution of Forever Green, and I am deeply appreciative of his leadership, in both style and substance.” notes Nick Jordan. “He is a skilled strategic thinker with a strong record of managing through complex situations. In addition to his excellence in research and teaching, he brings key experience in leading institutional change processes at the University, engaging farmers, and building relationships with commercial partners such as Rahr Malting and PepsiCo. All will be crucial as Forever Green works to expand its reach and impact.”
Kevin is coming on board at a time of significant change, from the search for a new Dean of the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) to welcoming new FGI staff to our growing team.. In addition, Forever Green is in the process of pursuing official status as a CFANS Center. Kevin’s long experience will be invaluable as we work with partners in the College and University, and beyond, to work to address the grand challenges at the heart of Forever Green’s work.
Kevin was nominated for the position in December, when the selection process began. A 10-member search committee made up of internal colleagues and external partners convened to assess and interview the candidates, who were required to be University of Minnesota faculty members in good standing. Kevin was among those invited to interview and then to present a public “chalk talk,” after which search committee members and attendees shared their feedback. Additional deliberations following those talks informed the final selection.
“What really stood out in this search was the depth of support for Forever Green and the strength of its vision for Continuous Living Cover agriculture. As the organization moves beyond its co-founder leadership, it was important to find someone with a strong strategic vision who also complements Mitch Hunter’s strengths,” said Anne Schwagerl, search committee member, farmer, and Vice President of Minnesota Farmers Union. “Kevin is that kind of leader, and I’m excited to see what they’ll accomplish together.”
In closing, we are grateful to all of our colleagues who participated in this process, especially those who put themselves forward for consideration. From the five candidates who applied, to the ten search committee members and the 80+ stakeholders who attended the chalk talks, our collaborative network really showed up!
Watch your mailbox in the coming weeks for an invitation to welcome Kevin in person. In the meantime, feel free to send notes of congratulations to him at [email protected].
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Our thanks to the Forever Green Co-Director Search Committee!
- Maggi Adamek, Terra Soma
- Whitney Clark, Friends of the Mississippi River
- Colin Cureton, Forever Green
- Joshua Gamble, USDA
- Mitch Hunter, Forever Green
- Nick Jordan, Forever Green
- Jacob Jungers, UMN Agronomy and Plant Genetics
- Ann Kirby, Forever Green
- Anne Schwagerl, Farmer and Minnesota Farmers Union
- Eric Watkins, UMN Horticultural Science