About Us: Staff Bios

Mr. Bill Kuckuck
President, CropLife Foundation

Mr. Kuckuck has served as President of the CropLife Foundation since October 2009. Prior to CropLife Foundation, Kuckuck served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the American Farmland Trust (AFT), a Washington headquartered organization committed to helping farmers and ranchers protect their land, produce a healthier environment and build successful rural communities. In addition to the Foundation Mr. Kuckuck is the COO and Executive Vice President of CropLife America. Mr. Kuckuck’s professional experience includes several senior management positions in the food and agriculture sectors, having served as managing director of Marine Harvest Europe, president of Tyson Foods International and group chairman of Ralston Purina Asia/Pacific, among others.

Mr. Kuckuck, a contributing author of ‘The Future of North American Animal Agriculture,’ has also served as a lecturer on corporate governance at the University of Arkansas and was a featured speaker on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Mr. Kuckuck holds a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Wisconsin, Madison in Agricultural Business Management and completed his Master of Business Administration degree at Rockhurst University. He has also completed executive programs in International Management and Logistics/Supply Chain Management. In addition, Mr. Kuckuck is an active volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the United Way.

Mr. Leonard Gianessi
Director, Crop Protection Research Institute

Leonard Gianessi has served as Director of the Crop Protection Research Institute since the Institute's creation in January, 2004. Prior to joining CPRI Leonard spent 10 years as a Senior Research Associate at the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy and 14 years as a Fellow with Resources For the Future. During his tenure at NCFAP and RFF Mr. Gianessi became an expert on pesticide use and agricultural biotechnology for pest management.

Mr. Gianessi has been widely published on issues of pesticide policy, regulation, and use data and agricultural biotechnology and his pesticide use database, the National Pesticide Use Database, remains the only national, comprehensive, publicly available pesticide use database for the United States. Mr. Gianessi has testified before several U.S. House committees, the North Dakota Interim Agricultural Committee, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Mr. Gianessi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Affairs from George Washington University.

Mr. Alexander Rinkus
Research Assistant, CropLife Foundation

Alexander Rinkus joined the CropLife Foundation in September of 2008 after completing his undergraduate studies in Washington, DC. In his capacity at CLF he provides key support to the Foundation on topics ranging from the CPRI's benefits studies to CLF's African Herbicide Project. Mr. Rinkus also leads the Foundation's communications outreach and new media campaign.

Alexander holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from American University in Washington, DC. While attending American he first became involved with agricultural issues while working on Capitol Hill and at the National Pork Producers Council.