"The opportunity for growth will be even greater now"

Shenandoah Growers announced the addition of a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to its Executive Leadership Team.

Matthew Ryan, former Chief Marketing Officer for Starbucks has joined Shenandoah Growers as the company's next Chief Executive Officer. Mike Buckley, most recently Senior Vice President of Business for Postmates, joins as the company's next Chief Financial Officer. After more than 20 years as Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Heydon will continue to be fully engaged with the company. Tim will work directly with the Board of Directors, offering strategic counsel rooted in his decades of leadership shepherding the company from its origins in field agriculture through its evolution to the nation's controlled environment agriculture company.

"When I looked at indoor agriculture, Shenandoah Growers stood out as the company with the strongest track record and the best technical and biological know-how to transform its existing position into a long-term strategic advantage," said Ryan. "My career has been shaped and defined by innovative companies. Here, the opportunity for growth could be even greater, as Shenandoah Growers is uniquely positioned to deliver against the converging demand for affordable, high-quality and organic produce, and the need to grow it sustainably and reliably."

Mike Buckley brings several decades of experience in financial, operational and executive roles, guiding both public and private companies through periods of rapid growth and change. Prior to joining Shenandoah Growers, Buckley served in numerous business and financial executive roles including at Postmates during its acquisition by Uber, and at Nike as CFO of Nike. 

"I was attracted by what Shenandoah Growers has already been able to accomplish through its 'biology first, technology to scale' approach, in terms of sales growth and profitability, growth in market share, and long-standing retail customer relationships," said Buckley. "I'm excited to help maintain the company's current course financially while simultaneously scaling to serve new and diverse markets." 

The appointments of Ryan and Buckley follow the addition of Cameron Geiger as Chief Operating Officer and Dr. Tessa Pocock as Chief Science Officer. Geiger, a former Walmart executive, brings decades of senior experience in technology and end-to-end supply chain roles. Pocock, formerly of Plenty Unlimited Inc., is a preeminent lighting and plant biology expert.