Vice President, Agribusiness
Greg brings 20-plus years of communications management experience to Padilla's agribusiness and environmental-science clients. An insightful strategist, he leads the firm's agribusiness practice, one of the nation's largest among independent public relations agencies.
Greg was born and raised in apple country in Washington state. He climbed his first combine at age 5, and harvested wheat and vegetable crops in high school and college. In the '80s, he turned his communications career toward agriculture, where his “do whatever it takes” nature was most dramatically exemplified in the tomato fields of central Florida, where he leapt from row to row, camera in hand, artfully dodging a fleet of high-speed tomato planters while gathering photos of a new application technology.
Greg oversees the Padilla team working with BASF Crop Protection, BASF Turf & Ornamentals, BASF Pest Control Solutions and BASF Professional Vegetation Management. Past clients include American Crystal Sugar, Global Ethanol, ImageTree Corp., Rehbein Environmental Solutions, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Agri-Business Solutions.
A skilled researcher and communications strategist, Greg has received numerous local and national awards for campaign planning and communications management, including a prestigious SABRE Award for crisis communications management. Prior to joining Padilla, Greg ran his own marketing communications business. Greg's career also includes work as a vice president and account supervisor for two other prominent marketing communications firms.
Greg holds a master's degree in science journalism from the University of Minnesota, a bachelor's degree in English and writing from Bethel College, St. Paul, Minn., and studied engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy. Greg also served as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., teaching public relations writing and advanced public relations courses, and at Bethel University, also in St. Paul, teaching communications management and business communications.
Greg is active in the National Agribusiness Marketing Association, where he has served as president of the North Central Chapter and member of the national board of directors.