In June 2025, Charlie Lucas joined the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) as a senior food scientist. He co-leads AURI’s food innovation efforts across Minnesota’s value-added agricultural ecosystem. He supports product development, commercialization, and regulatory compliance while promoting collaboration among entrepreneurs, co-manufacturers, and researchers to accelerate the path from concept to market.
Lucas comes to AURI after working for General Mills and Target for the past 19 years. Lucas says he was drawn to the position because it perfectly aligns with his values and professional strengths. He has long-admired AURI’s vast network and reach and its ability to create awareness around important topics and help business owners grow and realize new markets.
“I was looking for a position that provided an opportunity to give back to the larger community. Philanthropy is important to me, and I value living here in Minnesota. This role at AURI enables me to reach and support the state’s small to medium-sized businesses on a personal level. I strive to understand what these owners and founders are doing and what they are going through. Pouring passion and investment in time and money into something that you care about deeply is very rewarding. I want to help these businesses succeed and grow,” Lucas says.
There are several ways Lucas is working to help the food team at AURI make significant contributions to Minnesota’s economy. He is excited to continue working on expanding education around food safety by creating larger initiatives and programs that can help a diverse cross-section of businesses understand their gaps in food safety and create stronger processes and safer products.
Another goal is to ensure AURI is intentional about reaching clients where they are on their journey. “That could be someone with a stand at a farmer’s market looking to expand production, or someone with a concept that does not know how to get started with packaging or labels. We have a strong foundation of knowledge and answers to these important questions. I want to make sure that people are aware of all the quality, free information we have available,” he says.
The best part of the job for Lucas is talking with clients to help them identify what sets their product apart from competitors and the message and brand story that will best capture people’s attention.
“I very much enjoy those ‘light bulb moments’ with clients. It is fun to see something click and for them to say, ‘Ah, that makes sense.’ The personal interactions I get to have to understand what motivates people and how AURI can collaborate with them are the true highlights of this work,” he says.