Mitch Minarick

Founder

Mitch founded FarmAfield after an agricultural development trip to Africa helped him better understand how vulnerable agricultural systems can be without adequate support, and how often critical tools and support systems in developed countries are taken for granted or neglected. The rapid proliferation of cell phones and data access in rural areas around the world opens many possibilities for farmers and ranchers to connect to new markets and tools, and FarmAfield was founded to help foster these connections.

Mitch has degrees in Mechanical Engineering (University of Nebraska) and Agricultural & Biological Engineering (University of Illinois) with certifications in Strategic Technology Management, Agribusiness for Development and Food Security, and Biomass Energy Resources (all from the University of Illinois). He grew up on a family farm in Nebraska and has first-hand knowledge of risks faced by small farmers. He and his wife Sarah recently entered the world of foster parenting, which has often left them floundering in uncertainty but also learning something new every day (similar to farming)!

Neil Hines

Chief Operating Officer

Neil brings a rich collection of experiences to the table as FarmAfield’s COO. He attended Iowa State University where he received a degree in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering followed by an MBA with a focus in Supply Chain Management. He worked for 6 years as a process engineer and project manager with one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world (P&G) before starting a company that designs and builds cold-storage wallets and systems for long-term crypto-asset storage.

He grew up on his family farm in eastern Nebraska with row crops and cattle, where his experience stacking hay bales, vaulting across creeks with sticks, and running from his brothers and other farm animals prepared him for his time as an All-American decathlete at ISU. He is excited to utilize his skills and experiences to make process improvement systems and methods more accessible within the ag sector.

Chris Cirone

Data Analytics

Chris has degrees in Agricultural & Biological Engineering (University of Illinois) and commercialization experience as co-founder of Violet Acres (a greenhouse production ag company) where he served as operations manager and data analyst. Additionally, Chris has worked in the energy sector where he oversaw the design and construction of solar-powered homes and their control and data acquisition systems. When not at work, you can probably assume that he’s hunting something or blaming his fishing tackle for the lack of fish in his boat, but don’t worry—he already has several redesigns in mind.

Curt Tomasevicz

Software Development & Machine Learning

Curt earned degrees in Electrical Engineering (B.S., M.S.) and Biological Systems Engineering (Ph.D.) from the University of Nebraska before joining the engineering faculty there, enabling him to continue honing his skills in statistical modeling and computational methods. His upbringing in a small farming-community in Nebraska, coupled with his international travels, gives him a unique perspective regarding the importance of farming around the world. Curt has more interesting stories than most of the other engineers on our team but we remind him that if he didn’t have Olympic medals and experiences from 10 years of international competition and travel, then the only cool thing separating him from the rest of us would be his role as the bass guitarist in a local rock band.

Sid Verma

Statistics & Data Visualizations

Sid has M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural & Biological Engineering from the University of Illinois, where he also received certification in Strategic Technology Management and an award for Excellence in Sustainable Management & Technology. He has research experience in data mining, statistical/predictive modeling, time-series analysis, and data visualizations. He also has managerial experience with a hydroponics company growing leafy greens and herbs for the burgeoning health and nutrition market in India. He is uniquely comfortable exercising both sides of his brain and is nearly as competent at design work or photography as he is at crunching numbers, which means he gets many requests for help from the rest of us.