Page 30 - AWA Vol.41-No.6 2025

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Advanta Seeds Appoints Rajan Gajaria
Tyler Gifford Joins BioZyme® Sales Force
as Vice Chairman
Tyler Gifford, Mauston, Wisconsin, is
Advanta Seeds, a global seed company
and part of the UPL Group, announces the the new Area Sales Manager (ASM) for
BioZyme® Inc. in Wisconsin and Min‑
appointment of Rajan Gajaria as Vice Chair‑ nesota. In his role, he will work with the
man of Advanta. BioZyme dealer network, promote the
Rajan has been serving as a Board mem‑ BioZyme family of brands, and collab‑
ber of UPL SAS and Advanta for the past orate with dealers and customers. As
two years and brings over 30 years of expe‑ with everyone at BioZyme, his goal is to
rience in the agriculture industry. He joins empower our customers and partners as
Advanta following a distinguished career they improve their animals’ health and
at Corteva Agriscience and has spent the nutrition.
recent years serving on multiple boards ASMs identify and cultivate new customers, partner with
collaborating with CEOs, venture capitalists and private equity in‑ them, grow opportunities, work associated trade shows and
vestors, broadening his perspective on global business dynamics attend events to help grow the business of the assigned ter‑
and steering high‑growth companies. ritory.
In his new role as Vice Chairman, Rajan will focus on provid‑
ing strategic leadership, driving shareholder value through dis‑ Gifford is a southern Oregon native with strong ties to the
ciplined investment strategies and leading inorganic growth cattle industry, growing up on his family’s Angus, now Angus
through targeted mergers and acquisitions. He will also support and Sim‑Angus operation. He was active in the Oregon and
broader initiatives that contribute to Advanta's continued growth National Junior Angus Associations.
and global impact. Rajan will continue to serve on the Board of “My biggest goal is to build awareness of the BioZyme brands
Directors at Advanta. in my area and increase sales,” Gifford said. “BioZyme prod‑
Jai Shroff, Chairman & Group CEO of UPL, said, "We are delight‑ ucts are the best, and once a producer tries just one product
ed to welcome Rajan Gajaria as Vice Chairman of Advanta. His with Amaferm, they are usually hooked. As a strong advocate
for the Sure Champ® and VitaFerm® brands, I am excited to
deep expertise in the agriculture sector and proven leadership get into an area to grow business and help others succeed.”
will be pivotal as we accelerate our strategic initiatives and deliv‑
er greater value to our stakeholders." Circle 43 on enquiry card
Circle 41 on enquiry card

Cobb-Vantress Strengthens
Sam May Joins as the New Genetic Services
Executive Leadershipwith Lead for the U.S. and Canada

Three Strategic Appointments
Reflecting its continued growth and
commitment to innovative genetic im‑
Will Sawyer has been promoted to Vice provement and strategic breeding pro‑
President, Global Business Operations gram support, Center for Aquaculture
and Strategy. Since joining Cobb in De‑ Technologies (CAT) is pleased to wel‑
cember 2024 as Managing Director of come Samuel May as the new Genetic
Global Supply Chain and Strategy, Will Services Lead for the US and Canada.
has been instrumental in advancing key Sam brings deep scientific expertise
initiatives across the organization. In his and practical experience across coral
expanded role, he will lead global plan‑ research, salmon genetics, and selec‑
ning, marketing, communications, and tive breeding in aquaculture. His journey
IT—driving alignment and innovation into genetics began at university where a
across these critical business functions. population genetics course sparked a passion that led to a
Ph.D. in genetics and a role managing the USDA salmon se‑
Dr. Matilde Alfonso joins Cobb as Vice lective breeding program in Maine. There,
President, Sales and Technical Services, he focused on cryopreservation, trait optimi‑ Circle 42 on enquiry card
bringing over 25 years of strategic and zation, and genetic diversity to improve breeding efficiency
technical leadership in the poultry indus‑ and sustainability.
try. Most recently, she served as Manager At CAT, Sam is excited to apply his expertise in a fast-
of Veterinary Technical Services at Ceva paced, solution‑driven environment. “I wanted to move from
Animal Health, LLC. Her prior experience academic theory to real-world impact,” he says. “CAT offered
includes key leadership roles at Tyson the opportunity to work across species, solve complex prob‑
Foods, including Director of Breeder and lems, and help clients make meaningful genetic gains.” He
Hatchery Operations.
was also drawn to CAT’s collaborative culture and its commit‑
ment to innovation in aquaculture.
As Chris Lewellen, current Vice Presi‑
dent of Finance & Accounting, prepares CAT is a global leader in aquaculture genetics, managing
to retire after 27 years of dedicated ser‑ over 20 breeding programs across more than a dozen aquatic
vice, Leandro Farias will assume the role species. Leveraging a diverse portfolio of 50 plus genomic
of Managing Director, Finance and Ac‑ tools and deep expertise in genotyping, genome editing, ad‑
counting. Leandro brings more than two vanced data analytics and quantitative breeding strategies,
decades of finance experience across the CAT delivers customized genetics solutions that drive mea‑
chemicals, automotive, food, and poultry surable gains in performance, sustainability, and profitability.
genetics sectors. Circle 42 on enquiry card Circle 44 on enquiry card

28 Vol. 41 No. 6