PrairieFood™ Team
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JASON TATGE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Jason brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the agricultural industry to the PrairieFood team. Throughout his career, he has proven exceptional leadership and has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth in the companies he has been a part of or founded. His extensive background in commodity trading, technology and data solutions, and senior management position in large Ag public companies uniquely positions him to lead PrairieFood during this exciting phase of our journey.
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Chris Vincent
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Chris Vincent spent the last 27 years in Agriculture. He began as Syngenta NK Seeds DSM before starting a greenfield location for an independent Ag retailer. He earned an opportunity to lead the Agronomy Team at Aurora Coopérative Elevator company where he took on roles in Sales and Marketing, at Sr. VP levels before his elevation to Chief Operating Officer and eventually President & CEO.
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ROBERT HERRINGTON
CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Rob is a serial entrepreneur with over 50 years of leadership experience in high tech, electronics, and biotechnology. At PrairieFoodTM, Rob assembled a team of experts and developed a breakthrough micro-carbon product. PrairieFoodTM is produced from readily available biomass waste sources that stimulate all naturally occurring biology to act as a catalyst for change. Focusing on a triple bottom line, PrairieFoodTM aims to take care of People and the Planet while creating an equitable economy for all.
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GRIFFIN ROBERTS, Ph.D.
CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Griffin is an expert in biomass deconstruction. He has led the development of PrairieFood™’s proprietary hydrothermal processing technology that does in one second what takes Mother Earth hundreds of millions of years.
Griffin holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas, where he was a Self Scholar and graduated with honors. He also holds bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
His mission for PrairieFood™ is to revolutionize the farming industry by developing sustainable methods of increasing fertility and sequestering carbon.
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ERIC MCMANAMAN
GENERAL MANAGER, PRATT OPERATIONS
Native to Pratt, Kansas, Eric was exposed to farming and ranching at a young age and pursued his passion by earning a degree in Animal Science/Business from Kansas State University. As an avid outdoorsman, Eric is committed to the conservation of native grasslands and utilizes prescribed burns and brush-clearing techniques. He has also gained valuable experience working on ranches in Colorado and Wyoming and managing large livestock and feed milling operations in the Northern Great Plains.
Eric's dedication to the agricultural industry extends beyond his professional career. He operates a stocker cattle operation and previously worked in the Animal Health field, traveling extensively throughout the U.S. He also serves on several local groups, including as a volunteer firefighter and as the founder of the first Pheasants Forever chapter in Pratt, Kansas.
At Prairiefood, Eric brings his wealth of knowledge and experience to his role as General Manager, overseeing operations in Pratt and ensuring that the company's commitment to sustainability and responsible stewardship of the land is upheld.
Board of Advisors
Vern Hawkins, President, Syngenta Crop Protection
Dr. Thomas Binder, Former SVP and Head of Research, ADM
Rod Brenneman, Former CEO, Butterball and Seaboard Foods
Dr. Alain Briancon, VP data science at Profiles by Kantar
Gary Mason, Former Deputy Secretary, Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment
Tom Hoenig, Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City & Distinguished Senior Fellow Mercatus Center
Dr. Bala Subramaniam, Distinguished Professor of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas
Robert V. Gunderson Jr., founding partner, and Chairman Emeritus of Gunderson Detmer Law Firm