SGI managers join S&W Seed Company in key leadership roles

Date:04-11-2013

S&W Seed Company announced that it has strengthened its management team and Board of Directors by the addition of two alfalfa seed industry veterans. Dennis Jury, previously managing director of Seed Genetics International ("SGI") has been appointed Executive Vice President of Operations of S&W Seed Company. Mr. Jury will continue in his role of Chief Executive and General Manager of SGI. Mark Harvey, previously director of Seed Genetics International has been elected as a Director and Vice Chairman of the Board of S&W Seed Company. Both appointments follow the acquisition of Seed Genetics International by S&W Seed Company in a transaction that closed on April 1, 2013. The acquisition creates the largest non-dormant alfalfa seed company in the world.

Mark Grewal, president and chief executive officer of S&W Seed Company commented, "A key motivator for making the SGI acquisition is the highly talented and experienced seed industry team that is joining S&W. As we integrate the global operations of our two companies, Dennis and Mark's leadership will serve S&W well. Additionally, as we expand our reach in production and sales, their worldwide relationships and years of experience will be huge assets."

Mr. Jury's responsibilities will include the operational integration of the two companies, which now boast having geographically diversified, year-round alfalfa seed production in the United States and Australia, as well as a 22 country sales channel that covers six continents. Mr. Jury is a veteran of the agricultural industry, having worked for ICI Crop Care, Schering Ag, and South Australian Seedgrowers Cooperative (later 'Seedco,' then subsequently known as 'SeedMark') in various roles including territory sales, territory manager and product and market development manager, before joining Seed Genetics International in August 2003 as Business Manager. He was appointed Managing Director of Seed Genetics International in July 2009. Mr. Jury studied Agricultural Science at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute in Urbrae, South Australia with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, and received his MBA from the Adelaide Graduate School of Management.

Effective April 1, 2013, Mr. Harvey became Vice Chairman of Board of Directors of S&W Seed Company. Mark Harvey has more than 35 years of experience in production processing and marketing of seed to many parts of the world, particularly branded alfalfa and clover. Mr. Harvey managed a 10,000 acre family farm producing seed, wheat and pulse crops, along with wool and beef, from 1976 until 1996 when the company he founded, Paramount Seeds, was sold to Elders Ltd. While with Elders, Mr. Harvey was manager of their national and international seed business from 1996 until 2001. In 1992, he was a founding partner of Seed Genetics International where he focused primarily on marketing and distribution. Mr. Harvey was educated at Cunderdin Agricultural College in West Australia.

Grover Wickersham, Chairman of S&W Seed Company, said, "Mark Harvey is known in the industry as a master strategist and innovative thinker. I am excited that he believes in our combination enough that he chose to take a large shareholding in S&W. I expect great things from Mark in his leadership role as S&W Vice Chairman."