The board of directors of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute today announced that Adam Stratton will serve as interim executive director while the search for a permanent leader of the Institute is underway. Stratton was previously senior director of finance & administration for the Institute. The Institute’s previous executive director, Teresa Spaeth, has stepped down.
“We remain as committed as ever to fulfilling the mission given to us by the state legislature—to find new uses for Minnesota’s agriculture commodities in order to grow our state’s economy,” says the Institute’s Board Chairman Ron Obermoller. “The Institute has an extremely respected, professional and competent staff that will ensure uninterrupted service to our clients and stakeholders during this transition.”
Spaeth served as executive director for the Institute since 2006. During her tenure, the Institute made considerable progress including establishment of the highly successful Minnesota Renewable Energy Roundtable, completion of a significant agbioscience study that projects a possible $25.7 billion in economic impact throughout the state, and the establishment of the organization’s innovation network program. “We are grateful for Teresa’s long service and many contributions, and we wish her the very best in her future endeavors,” says Board Chairman Ron Obermoller.
The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute was created by the Minnesota legislature to help discover new uses for agriculture resources in order to fuel economic growth in Minnesota. The Institute provides research, development, and innovation networking services to help businesses create new products and processes using agricultural commodities. In a conservative eight-year survey, clients reported that they made more than $414 million of capital investment in the state due to the Institute’s work.
Contact: Amanda Wanke, AURI
awanke@auri.org, 651.592.8203