DAVIS, Calif., April 7, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. (MBI), (Nasdaq:MBII), a leading provider of bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agriculture, turf and ornamental and water treatment markets, today announced the recent additions of several strategic hires to its sales team as regional territory managers.
"With our new sales territory managers in place, we believe that we are well-positioned to implement our business strategy," said Pam Marrone, Chief Executive Officer of Marrone Bio Innovations.
"We are very pleased to welcome this talented group of seasoned industry veterans to bolster our sales team," said James Iademarco, President & Chief Operating Officer, MBI. "Our sales territory managers have extensive experience from diverse companies, and we expect that they will play an important role as the Company seeks to drive sales of its products."
Brian Ahrens, MBI's VP Sales adds, "This sales team not only brings unique perspective on how to position biological pest management and plant health solutions to key customers, but they are very passionate about helping growers strengthen their integrated pest management programs, boost yields and increase profitability."
MBI welcomes the following territory managers:
Jim Colitas - Northeast/Michigan
Jim has held various positions throughout his 26 year career with present-day Bayer CropScience. For the past 14 years, he has worked with ADAMA in various positions in Field Sales, including as Specialty Product Manager and National Account Manager. Jim graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science and currently resides in Macungie, PA.
Lori Epperson – Mid South
Lori has 20 years of sales and strategic business experience in the agriculture industry. She served as a Sales Representative and Account Manager with DuPont in territories in South Dakota, Ohio, and Illinois. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science and Masters in Labor and Human Resources from The Ohio State University and lives just south of Starkville, MS.
Curt Nelson – Coastal California
Curt has 20 years of industry experience with Western Farm Service, T-System Irrigations, AgraQuest and ADAMA. He has held various positions in PCA, including as a Field Specialist, District Sales Manager and Market Development Manager. Curt was born and raised in the Salinas Valley and lives in the Dos Palos area. He is very active in 4-H with the community and is currently enrolled in California Coast University's Business Management program.
Jorge Pacheco – Pacific Northwest
Jorge has 20 years of retail sales and crop management experience in the U.S. and Latin American markets. Prior to relocating to the Pacific Northwest in 2005, he served as an Account Manager and Sales Leader with DuPont in Texas and Nebraska. Jorge holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Economics from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and lives near Portland in Camas, WA.
Eric Johnson – West Central
Eric has been professionally selling in the Agriculture and Turf industry for over 12 years, having previously worked with Compass Minerals, Precision Laboratories and Kalo, Inc. He has worked with various multiple step channel distribution throughout the Midwest, focusing on a value-added approach. Eric is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Personnel Administration. Other than four years spent living in Phoenix, Eric has resided in the Kansas City Metro area for his adult life.
About Marrone Bio Innovations
Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. (Nasdaq:MBII) is a leading provider of bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agriculture, turf and ornamental and water treatment markets. Our effective and environmentally responsible solutions help customers operate more sustainably while controlling pests, improving plant health, and increasing crop yields. We have a proprietary discovery process, a rapid development platform, and a robust pipeline of pest management and plant health product candidates. At Marrone Bio Innovations we are dedicated to pioneering better biopesticides that support a better tomorrow for users around the globe. For more information, please visit www.marronebio.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Portions of this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements," and assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "PSLRA"), Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Any such forward-looking statements are made within the "safe-harbor" protections of the PSLRA, should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we are under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any responsibility to, update or alter these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this filing include those regarding implementing our business strategy, expectations regarding our sales team and driving sales of our products. Such forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some beyond our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Such risks include adverse weather conditions and seasonality that may affect sales, failure of customers to adopt our products, the high level of competition in the market for pest management products, inability to maintain and further establish successful relationships with third-party distributors, the failure of our third-party distributors to sell to end users and uncertainty surrounding our compliance with our financial reporting obligations. Additional information that could lead to material changes in our performance is contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.