Your Iowa Corn Opportunities team

John A. Greaves, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Specialty Crop Improvement
Kemin Industries, Inc.
2100 Maury Street, Des Moines, IA 50266

Dr. John Greaves is the executive director of specialty crop improvement for Kemin Industries, Inc in Des Moines, Iowa. Kemin is a privately held international life science company providing innovative molecular solutions to the food ingredient, human nutraceuticals, pet food, animal feed and pharmaceutical industries worldwide.

Prior to his current position, John spent three years as president of Hy-Line International and seven years as president of Kemin Agri-Foods. He was also vice president of research & development for Kemin Industries, Inc., and Kemin Biotechnology, L.C.

After completion of his Ph.D. in 1987, John joined ICI Agrochemicals at ICI's central agrochemical research headquarters, near London, England. Following his first year with ICI Agrochemicals, John moved to Iowa (in 1988) following ICI's acquisition of the Garst Seed Company where he spent eight years building a unique gene discovery and trait introgression program in corn.

John is a native of Lancaster in the northwest of England. He graduated with a B.Sc (Honors) degree in 1984, and a Ph.D. degree in 1987, both from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom.

John is a 1998/99 graduate of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s “Leadership Iowa” program and was also recognized as a member of the Des Moines Business Record’s “Forty Under 40” class of 2001/2002.” John also served as the Chair of the Governor’s Life Science Advisory Committee for Iowa and is past Chair of the ISU Plant Sciences Institute external board of advisors. John also serves on the external advisory board of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at Iowa State University and is on the board of advisors of ISU’s Plant Sciences Institute and Iowa Corn Opportunities L.C. He has received several honors including the Iowa “Da Vinci Award;” the Governor’s Volunteer Award (2001 and 2002) and the Iowa Futures Award for service to education. He is an inventor on 12 U.S. and international patents.

John lives with his wife and two children in Ankeny, Iowa.