Spensa Technologies expands staff, announces two new leadership positions
July 19, 2012
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Kim
Nicholson |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – An agriscience company that develops and markets new agricultural technologies announces the hiring of two new vice presidents who bring a combined 65 years of experience in agribusiness and product development.
Spensa Technologies Inc., a Purdue Research Park-based company, has hired Kim Nicholson as vice president of business development and Tom Puterbaugh as vice president of products.
Nicholson has more than 25 years of experience in the agribusiness sector in senior sales and marketing roles for such industry suppliers as American Cyanamid and BASF. She earned a bachelor's degree in agronomy from Purdue University.
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Tom
Puterbaugh |
Puterbaugh has more than 30 years of experience in managing new product introductions across multiple markets worldwide for Caterpillar Inc. He has a bachelor's degree in management from Purdue and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.
"Kim brings an understanding of the target market dynamics and important experience in successfully bringing technologies and products to the market," said Johnny Park, president of Spensa Technologies and a Purdue research assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering. "Tom brings an ability to help lead teams in the planning, organizing and executing of new products from concept to production. He also brings a strong focus on understanding to meet and exceed customer needs.
"We feel fortunate to have them join our team, especially as we prepare to launch new products in the agricultural market."
Earlier this year, Spensa launched MyTraps.com, an online data application, that helps growers and pesticide consultants electronically track the number of insects in their crop fields so they can better control crop damage caused by insects and improve the use of insecticides.
Spensa also is commercializing the Z-Trap, which is an insect trapping device that automatically detects the number of target insects captured by the trap and sends the data wirelessly to the grower's mobile phone or computer. The technology is being used to collect data on codling moths, Oriental fruit moths and leaf rollers in apple orchards, but will eventually be used to collect insect data from other types of crops.
Park said that Spensa is in pre-production of 75 Z-Traps and will carry out large-scale field experiments and evaluations during the 2012 growing season with an expected launch of the Z-Trap in 2013.
About Spensa Technologies Inc.
Spensa Technologies is a startup housed in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette. The company was founded in 2009 by Johnny Park, president and CEO. Spensa's mission is to design, develop and deliver novel technologies for the agricultural industry that will reduce reliance on manual labor, foster eco-friendly farming and enhance crop production efficiency. Their technologies leverage the team's world-leading expertise in wireless sensor networks, robotics and computer vision.
About Purdue Research Park
The Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country in four locations across Indiana. The parks are home to about 200 companies that employ 4,000 people and are located in West Lafayette, Merrillville, Indianapolis and New Albany.
Contact: Cynthia Sequin, Purdue Research Park, 765-588-3340, casequin@prf.org
Source: Johnny Park, 765-588-3592, johnny.park@spensatech.com
