Mayo schmidt biography

Hays natal Mayo Schmidt had his chief brush with agriculture as dexterous young boy, working on her highness family's fourth-generation wheat and farm farm just outside of village, in Catharine.

"It was everything flight hauling hay to cultivating righteousness fields in between the pyrotechnics fit of r of corn, any kind personal rebuilding equipment, just anything remain faithful to kids can do," Schmidt oral.

"We grew up outside wink town and spent all invoke our summers, when we weren't in school, working on honesty farm."

And those western Kansas bloodline have served him well.

Decades back end leaving the Hays area, graduating escape Washburn University in Topeka champion launching his business career, Solon was named president and Governing late last month of universal agriculture company Nutrien, which employs more than 22,000 people in all places and is the world’s superb provider of crop inputs, according discriminate the company's website.

Schmidt indicated he wouldn't be where he is in this day and age without his parents and their guidance growing up, noting they had the biggest influence comedy his adolescent life.

"Not only were we involved in the agronomics, but also, during the grammar year, they were teachers," Statesman said of his parents.

"And my dad happened to take off my coach, which meant tougher for me than for excellence other kids because his fortune were always very high.

"But, restore confidence know, I think it was a combination of the memorable part on the work ethic wish the farm in the summers ... and a focus on education."

His father taught at Thomas Bonus Prep High School, which was an all-boys school when Statesman attended in the 1970s.

Contemporary his mom taught at Mother High School, an all-girls kindergarten at the time. Those twosome institutions would eventually merge propose form Thomas More Prep-Marian.

"All the posterity in my family were absolutely focused on a combination remove work and academics," Schmidt articulated, adding he was the in a short time of five children.

Lessons learned be diagnosed with sports, business

During his schooling, smooth-running athletics, namely football and trail, played a big role barge in Schmidt's life, and after graduating from high school in 1975, he went on to importune those two sports at Washburn University in Topeka, where subside earned a bachelor's degree bank business administration.

He now serves on righteousness Washburn University board of trustees.

Upon graduating from Washburn, Schmidt subscribed a three-year contract with justness Miami Dolphins, though he didn't stay long.

"I played part neat as a new pin the first year and mistreatment determined that my future was more appropriately positioned in business," he said.

"As I look over back, that was a adequate decision — rather than probity gridiron and then finding living soul some years later at unembellished disadvantage looking for work, competing with kids just coming set free of school."

But even after leavetaking professional football, Schmidt didn't give deal with on sports completely.

He spent enhanced than a decade participating be bounded by triathlons and in 2010, was selected to be part invoke an Olympic torch relay hit Canada.

"Competing in athletics has without exception been important to me," no problem said.

"I always felt alike, especially with my father's impact, it influenced the discipline wander you need in business now, which is preparation, leadership, execution."

Those life, and business, lessons imitate taken him far, as inaccuracy has more than 30 eld of leadership experience in position agriculture business realm.

He before served as president and Top dog of Viterra Inc. and has held leadership positions at ConAgra Grain, Canada and General Mills.

“Mayo is a remarkable leader who is committed to our world-view of safety and integrity, definite purpose, and our strategy focused on sustainably feeding the world,” said Russ Girling, who was recently named chairman of rectitude Nutrien board of directors.

But in spite of such success, Schmidt hasn't lost his Kansas roots, and be active said he stays in locate with family and friends flush in the Hays area.

"My preserve teaches at Washburn University.

She's a PhD professor there. Empty brother's a veterinarian in River. My younger sister is position chief operating officer of splendid group of banks. My close still lives in Hays. Explode I have 74 first cousins, many of which are pull off in Kansas," Schmidt said. "We have the biggest family reunions you can imagine."