The Future Seed Executives (FuSE) program was initiated as a branch of the ASTA Management Skills Committee in 2004. According to Liz Pestow, immediate past chairman of the FuSE initiative, “The focus of FuSE is to provide educational and networking opportunities to those in the industry with seven years or less experience,” Pestow said. Members involved in FuSE range from those who have recently graduated college to supporters and mentors for the program that are upper executives, CEOs and presidents of companies.
The Campus Connections program, the college student branch FuSE, was present at the ASTA annual meeting. Students in their junior year of college have the chance to apply for a scholarship to attend the ASTA national meeting. While at the convention, they are mentored by executives attending the meeting for their companies. They sit in on many sessions and committee meetings to get a real world perspective of the seed industry.
Pestow was a product of the FuSE program. Her background is marketing in the automotive industry. She got involved in FuSE in 2007. She said that it gave her an opportunity to really learn about the industry and especially to network with colleagues.
Listen to an interview with Pestow courtesy of Meghan Grebner, Brownfield Ag News, here: Interview with Liz Pestow