Derek Simmonds Email & Phone Number

New York, United States

Geneva, New York, United States

Working with new and existing businesses in the food and agriculture industry to startup, grow or relocate to New York State by helping them connect with New York State's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.• Specialized in working with Agriculture Technology companies including companies in controlled environment agriculture, animal science, digital agriculture, molecular farming, robotics and drones and emerging crops.• Served as a judge in the first round of the Grow-NY Business Competition in 2021 and 2022.• Mentored numerous Grow-NY winning companies in 2020 and 2021.

Auburn Ny

Assiting startup and existing businesses in Cayuga County to grow through business mentoring and helping them to make connections with resources, organizations and other businesses that they need to succeed.

Waterloo, Ny

• Organized and coordinated the Finger Lakes Craft Beverage Conference from 2013 - 2017. This conference began as a day-long brewery or cidery start-up workshop and has evolved to include sessions appealing to existing breweries and cideries, a trade show and a second day with field trips. In 2017, the conference had an attendance of about 100 people, 17 presenters and a trade show with about fifteen businesses and organizations. • Organized ‘Celebrate Seneca County Agriculture’ from 2013-2017. This yearly event features about 15 local agricultural producers/processors offering sample products each year. An estimated 500 people attended this event each year.• Advise local agricultural producers and processors on marketing, business and legal issues related to agriculture and connect them with relevant information and people in the county and region. • Serve on various local boards representing Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension including Seneca County Farm Bureau, Seneca County Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Committee and the Seneca County Agricultural Enhancement Board.• Organize various workshops targeted at agricultural producers including: Beginning Maple Syrup Production Workshop, Beginning and Backyard Grape Growing Workshop, Pawpaw Production, Mushroom Production and Juneberry Production. These events serve to assist agricultural producers to diversify their production and raise money for Cornell Cooperative Extension.• Produce the ‘Finger Lakes Agriculture Report’ a weekly 3-5 minute radio segment on agricultural or natural resources related topics which plays on Finger Lakes Radio Group Stations.

Syracuse, New York Area

Coordinated research for the Syracuse site for a National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funded research project. Also worked to identify tree planting sites, acquire homeowner permission for plantings and worked with community groups to plant trees as part of the Save the Rain project.

Springfield, Ma

Worked as a contractor for Western Mass Electric Company. I inspected arboricultural work of contractors to ensure trees were properly trimmed and that work was completed according to contract guidelines. I estimated costs for tree work on capital improvements of distribution lines.

Guayaquil, Ecuador

- Worked as the Project Director of a USAID-Funded Coastal Resources Management Project based in the Estuary of Cojimies.- Assisted communities around the Estuary of Cojimies to develop new businesses in fish farming, beekeeping and market gardening to replace income that had been lost with the decline in the fishing conch collecting industries in the region.

- Worked for the Malawi Department of Forestry in the Nkhotakota District. - Assisted communities in developing Natural Resources Management Committees and planting Village Forest Areas.- Developed a series of training for District Forestry staff on extension techniques.

M.B.A.

Ms, Natural Resources Policy

Bs, Environmental And Forest Biology

Ba, Communication