Americot Adds Four Germplasm Specialists to Research Team
February 7, 2019 Scott Russell, Dr. Brooks Blanche, Dr. Tod Spivey and Levi Schaefer have joined Americot, Inc. as germplasm specialists.
“As we continue to expand our regional variety cotton seed products, it is important for us to add key individuals that have the direct experience and regional understanding within these areas,” said Dr. Douglas Jost, Americot director of research and germplasm. “We are extremely fortunate to have highly-talented cotton industry research professionals like Scott, Brooks, Todd and Levi join our team.”
Russell, who has been with Americot since 2017, is transitioning from Southeast sales representative to research and germplasm specialist, based in Georgia. He holds a B.S. in Entomology/Integrated Pest Management from Auburn University and a M.S. in Entomology from Louisiana State University. Prior to joining Americot, he spent 17 years as an independent crop consultant working with cotton and peanut growers in South Georgia.
Blanche will be based in St. Joseph, LA, supporting research and breeding efforts in the Southeast and Mid-South. He earned a B.S. in Agronomy from Western Kentucky University, a M.S. in Weed Science from Mississippi State University, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy and Crop Science from Louisiana State University, where his doctoral studies focused on cotton breeding location, variety and environmental interactions. Before joining Americot, he worked as a Cotton Development Specialist for PhytoGen, and as an agronomist and assistant professor at LSU.
Spivey, formerly the state soybean agronomist for the LSU AgCenter, will support research and breeding activities for growers in North Carolina and other regions of the Southeast. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University and holds a Ph.D. in Crop Physiology, focusing on cotton production.
Schaefer will support research and breeding efforts for Americot in the Northern and Southern Plains on Texas. He holds a B.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a M.S. in Agribusiness from Texas Tech University, where he was also involved in cotton research. He has spent several years farming and working as an independent Oil and Gas Landman.
Americot, Inc., headquartered in Lubbock, TX, is a national leader in cotton seed production and technologies under the company’s NexGen brand cotton products.
Based on information provided by Americot
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