Resume Supplement

Ron Curran

Creativity, accomplishment

& results

Some Accomplishments

On the following pages, I included examples of my product development, communications and training accomplishments. I also included what others say about my work.

AgSource Cooperative Services

Report Development I was Manager of Market Development

for ten years. Following are some accomplishments.

AgSource provides DHI information to approximately 4,000 dairy producers. Part of my position involved developing new reports for them.

My focus was to move away from the traditional practice of just providing numbers and instead consolidate numbers into easy to use decision making tools.

When margins are low, producers often focus on cutting expenses. The Profit Opportunity Analyzer®

identifies and quantifies untapped income sources that are far bigger profit opportunities. The report is a great example of product differentiation resulting in less customer price sensitivity.

The Profit Opportunity Analyzer is AgSource’s highest value report. I conceptualized, developed and programmed it.

The Fresh Cow , Herd and Udder Health Management Summaries

I led the formation of a collaborative partnership with the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. With their help, we developed these reports. The Fresh Cow Summary contains the patented Transition Cow Index® that is owned by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). I managed the license AgSource has with WARF for five years.

Herd Report CardI conceptualized this report and developed the prototype. We teamed with the School of Veterinary Medicine staff, improved it and made the Herd Report Card the most popular optional report in AgSource’s history.

As with all other AgSource DHI reports, I developed all the training, marketing and web based materials. I also conduced Webinars.

I led staff training, developed training materials for others to use and answered all problem related phone calls .

Bou-MaticProduct Development

I was the Product Manager of Automation products for three years. These products

included their total information management system.

Listening to customers, I learned Bou-Matic’s biggest competitive disadvantage was identification inaccuracy. Working with the top flight engineers I managed, we developed Smart ID™. This technology turned the company’s biggest disadvantage into their most effective selling point.

While at Bou-Matic, I led development of the Signature Series Detachers (SSD). Much of their sales success was due to my research of competitive products prior to development and setting the design and cost specifications so the SSD’s would be market leaders. I also set the price points so dealers could upsell to the highest margin 4400 unit.

The Companion Detacher was a product in development when I started at Bou-Matic. I resisted “feature creep” pressure and delivered the product customers wanted. This unit maintained a North American market share over 45% in its category while I was at Bou-Matic.

Trade Magazine and Newspaper Articles I Have Written

Agri-View columns

In 1995 the agricultural press was in a populist negativity funk. Wisconsin’s agriculture was in the midst of change and everyone from the government, to the Green Bay Cheese Exchange to successful expanding producers were blamed.

Someone needed to speak out about the positives and correct the false paradigms that enabled many producers to externalize their problems. Since no one else stepped up, I submitted some columns and the next thing I knew, I was on a two year adventure of changing perceptions.

Agri-View Articles

Effective communication is essential in today’s market place. “Say what you mean and mean what you say” are my writing guidelines.

I can use my writing skills to get my employer’s selling points in front of the public, as in this recent article.

The next slide is an article I collaborated on with two Genex employees.

Bachelor Level Courses TaughtMacro, Micro and International Business Economics

I taught night classes at Upper Iowa University (UIU) from 1999 to 2001. UIU has very diverse students.

Most of my experience has been working with farmers. UIU gave me the opportunity to teach to a completely different audience. As the evaluations point out, I was able to communicate on terms they could relate to.

Teacher Evaluation Comments

“Ron is very good at teaching the Introduction to Macroeconomics. His style is different but life changing.”

“Ron really had a lot to offer the class with all his experience.”

“Ron, you do a great job of explaining complex topics and issues. Thank you for teaching you are one of the best teachers at UIU.”

Finishing up an economics class at 9:00 PM with students who had already put in a full day of work was challenging but fun. For the first week or two, we used the assigned text book. Then we went "real world". We used current articles in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal for their assignments.

“Great slides. Great real world examples. Made topic very interesting. Thanks.”

“Very personable with students, made learning fun –interesting – Great class.”

“Outstanding teacher, one of (the) best I had at UIU. Great sense of humor. Made class fun. Made information very practical, this much appreciated.”

“Outstanding teacher, humorous. Engages group. Loved his classes.”

Selling ideas and selling products requires the same skill sets and dedication.

I've been successful in marketing and in teaching because I truly enjoy working with and helping people. I'm willing to expend the effort that it takes to go from good to what some students described as "Great”.

“Ron is the best teacher I’ve had in a year and a half of class. I learned more from his class than I expected to.”

“Ron is a great instructor. I enjoy taking classes with him. He shows great enthusiasm in teaching.”

“Great instructor.”

“Well prepared, very enjoyable class.”

“Ron is an excellent instructor.”

“Ron was a great teacher. We are sad to see him go. “

“Ron Rocks – it will be a big loss to Upper Iowa – he is a teacher that teaches about the here and now. Thanks Ron.”

Farm Business and Production Management classes taught to adult producers

I taught adult Farm Business and Production Management classes to farmers in Oconto, Marinette and Florence Counties. This was a terrific program that combined class room with on-farm education.

I changed the focus of the program from topics like dehorning calves to management.

Teacher Evaluation Comments

“Ron is articulate, knowledgeable, accurate and concerned about his students”

“Very informative and full of new ideas. Very up to date.”

“I learned much and enjoyed the class.”

“I like that Ron will get the answers to questions promptly and also shared questions and their answers with other classes. It adds a lot to the normal prepared material.”

“The course was up to date and informational.”

“Very informative. Balanced ration already showing results in milk tank. Very informative and current. Helps decide what information is correct.”

The NWTC Farm Business Management Program used 17 year old materials on a rotating basis (soils, dairy nutrition, farm management and facilities).

That just wasn't going to work for me. I put in many late nights rewriting all the materials I used. My students appreciated the effort and that was what mattered.

“Very informative and up to date. Excellent teacher and materials.”

“Ron is a very good teacher. He goes out of his way to help the students in his class. Also, he brings other topics up in his class at various times that are useful in our farm operations.”

“Excellent. Many new ideas were presented to us.”

“I feel the course is getting better every year. Ron puts a lot into answering all questions even if not on the current subject matter.“

“Very interesting and current. Ron is very knowledgeable of new things and always gets you the answers to your questions.”

Wisconsin's VTAE system has some excellent teaching programs I took advantage of. One I incorporated in my teaching was "Outcome/Competency Based Teaching".

In the first class, the syllabus I handed out listed exactly what they were going to accomplish during the class year and at what level of proficiency they needed to accomplish them to get an A, B, etc.

“Very practical information presented in an interesting manner.”

“I learned so much from Ron. He is an excellent teacher.”

“I like the Update and new ideas.”“Everything was real interesting and I learned a lot. The farm tours are real good ideas for different management ideas.”

“I was impressed. Ron presents different options, a lot of information and does it in a relaxed non-threatening way.”

“Ron makes this course really worth while. He does a super job of applying up to date information and technology.”

Teaching gives me the opportunity to learn from my students. Making the classes a two way conduit of information is important. Listening is a skill I continue to use.

“It is an excellent course. It covers things which are relevant to everyday life on the farm.”

“The material is informative and the interaction with the class is great. Ron is very easy to work with and is always very helpful in class and on farm calls.”

“Fun and informative.”

“Most of the information in course was up to date and meaningful. Instructor is very willing to listen to input from students.”

“The course is very informational and an asset to any farmer.”

I started at NWTC with 56 students and one with an RHA over 20,000. I left with 70 students in my program and with four RHAs under 20,000. Adapting Total Mixed Rations was a key to our success.

On the left is an example of a learning module I developed that has been used by nutritionists and educators in a number of states.

With 70 very busy students in my NWTC class, scheduling on-farm training with everyone in the summer was difficult. I came up with the idea of doing a monthly newsletter with one of the new computer software newsletter programs.

The students really liked it since it wasn’t invasive. It also focused on what was timely.

I want to be part of the greater community I work in while also helping young people involved with industry organizations. In the picture, I am receiving the “Friend of the Association of Women In Agriculture Award”. I also received the “Friend of Babcock House Award”.

In 1988, I approached World Dairy Expo management about incorporating a dairy cattle judging contest for two year college students into the event. With the help of some very committed volunteers , we brought the Post Secondary Judging Contest into existence in 1989. We added the first ever “Practical Contest” five years later. I was Superintendent from inception through 1996.

Although my views on dairy cattle type evaluation have evolved, I continue volunteering and enjoy watching participants grow while making and defending their decisions.

I maintain a lifelong commitment to learning.

Receiving my Excellence in Marketing Certification from the University of Wisconsin School of Executive Management in 2008.