College of Agriculture
Anderson named CEO of Ag Alumni Seed
Seed industry veteran brings 35-plus years of seed industry experience to continue organizational growth
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Agriculture Alumni Seed Improvement Association Inc. (Ag Alumni Seed) has appointed Craig Anderson as its chief executive officer. This transition follows more than a decade of strong collaboration between Purdue University and the leadership of Jay Hulbert, who served as the CEO of Ag Alumni Seed for 12 years.Under Hulbert’s leadership, the company experienced sales growth, launched innovative international partnerships and strengthened its relationship with Purdue Agriculture, laying a solid foundation for continued success.
With over 35 years of experience in the seed industry, Anderson will work closely with existing international partners, explore opportunities for growth in global markets and provide strategic guidance to support Ag Alumni Seed’s talented team. He will also support development of improved genetics and oversee facility improvements to sustain organizational success in research and innovation.
“Ag Alumni Seed has a strong popcorn breeding program that goes back many decades, so continuing this research is going to be critical,” Anderson said. “Coming into a very successful company that’s already running quite nicely, I will focus on figuring out how I can best support the team and identify areas where we can invest time and energy to continue growing.”
Ag Alumni Seed’s strong ties to Purdue University are integral to its success. The organization invests residual returns in the College of Agriculture while benefiting from Purdue’s advanced infrastructure, including cutting-edge technology and research facilities like the Ag Alumni Seed Phenotyping Facility. This collaboration encourages a mutually beneficial relationship that drives growth and innovation.
“Ag Alumni Seed is an important research partner for the college with a long history of collaboration,” said Bernie Engel, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. “I’m excited to work with Craig in his new role as we build on Ag Alumni Seed’s successful foundation and look ahead to the next generation of innovation in crop production.”
Before joining Ag Alumni Seed, Anderson built an impressive career, starting as a sales manager with L. Herried Seed, a legacy company of AgReliant Genetics LLC. Over 32 years, he held various roles in sales, marketing and production, eventually becoming the chief operating officer of AgReliant Genetics. In 2021, Anderson moved to Dryland Genetics, a research-based agriculture startup focused on proso millet, where he served as COO.
Anderson was drawn to Ag Alumni Seed’s long-standing success and its reputation as a leader in the popcorn breeding industry.
“I was excited about returning to an Indiana-based ag seed company, especially given the international scope of business,” Anderson said. “With the diverse market for popcorn and Ag Alumni Seed’s existing business partners across the globe, I saw this as a chance to dive into something new while staying within the seed industry.”
Reflecting on his career, Anderson takes pride in his ability to drive growth by unlocking the potential within research and development teams and turning that potential into commercial opportunities. He looks forward to leveraging this expertise to encourage continued success at Ag Alumni Seed.
“Craig Anderson has demonstrated his ability to continue the success of Ag Alumni Seed’s domestic and international popcorn research and sales initiatives,” said Marshall Martin, board chair of the Agricultural Alumni Seed Improvement Association. “His proven proficiency in the development and implementation of business strategy will be invaluable as we continue to grow.”
About Purdue Agriculture
Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is one of the world’s leading colleges of agricultural, food, life and natural resource sciences. The college is committed to preparing students to make a difference in whatever careers they pursue; stretching the frontiers of science to discover solutions to some of our most pressing global, regional and local challenges; and, through Purdue Extension and other engagement programs, educating the people of Indiana, the nation and the world to improve their lives and livelihoods. To learn more about Purdue Agriculture, visit this site.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
Media contact: Devyn Ashlea Raver, draver@purdue.edu
Sources: Craig Anderson, canderson@agalumniseed.com
Agricultural Communications: Maureen Manier, mmanier@purdue.edu, 765-494-8415
