Our People
Sales
Bill Zimmer
Executive Director of Sales — Mr. Zimmer started his career farming, and then worked for 25 years in the agri-business industry in the pesticide and crop nutrition sectors. Mr. Zimmer has spent most of his career with BASF where he held various sales and management positions. Mr. Zimmer now covers the North American market for FBS.
Mr. Zimmer graduated from Ontario Agriculture College at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, with an associate diploma in Agriculture.
Steve Hash
Business Development Manager & Government Relations – Mr. Hash provides extensive agronomic experience to the FBS roster. For the past 35 years he has owned and operated a successful diversified farming operation. In addition to farming, Mr. Hash was COO for Agri-Concepts Corporation, a seven-thousand-acre farming company and Vice President and General Manager of A.Levy and J.Zentner Company. Most recently Mr. Hash served as Director of Operations for Mendelson Zeller Company.
Mr. Hash attended Fresno State University majoring in Marketing.
Mr. Hash serves or has served on various committees and boards for agriculture, some of which are California Crop Safety Committee, California Tree Fruit Agreement Committees, California Farm Workers Coalition, Nesei Farmers League, San Joaquin Ag Lenders Society, Board Member Associated Fruit Producers and Board and Executive Board of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League.
Julia Engler
Midwest Business Manager - With nearly 25 years of sales experience, Ms. Engler offers FBS an exceptional track record of outperforming sales goals and expanding market penetration in her assigned regions. The majority of her sales experience has been within the agricultural industry with leaders such as Monsanto, Syngenta and American Cyanamid which was acquired by BASF. Prior to joining FBS, she was ranked among the top 5% of Monsanto's account managers and recognized nationally for trait penetration and sales growth.
Ms. Engler earned B.S. degrees in Agricultural Business and Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin in Platteville, WI. She received an M.B.A. from Edgewood College in Madison, WI. She is a member of the National Soybean Growers Association, the National Corn Growers Association and the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. She served as Past Session Chair to the Wisconsin Pest Management Conference and is a Past Advisor to the Wisconsin CCA Program.
Rick Bird
Regional Sales Manager — Mr. Bird joined the FPG AG Nutrition division as a consultant for the Mid-Western U.S., and joined FBS in September 2007. His career has included responsibilities in sales, sales management, sales training, product management, and market development in crop protection chemicals for production agriculture, specialty crops, and turf and ornamental markets.
Mr. Bird holds a B.S. in Agricultural Marketing from the University of Illinois.
Nathan B. Stewart
Regional Sales Manager — Mr. Stewart joined the Floratine AG Nutrition division in 2005 and FBS in September 2007. He is responsibe for distribution support, agronomic field consulting, and technical aid throughout California. Mr. Stewart’s knowledge of cutting-edge technologies combined with his agricultural experience have significantly assisted with expansion into new markets within California.
Mr. Stewart received his B.S.A. in Agricultural Systems Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. While continuing his post graduate work at Cal Poly, he successfully completed his M.S. in Industrial and Technical Studies housed in the College of Business.
Darrell T. Thorpe
Regional Sales Manager – Mr. Thorpe has a successful track record in agri-chemical and specialty fertilizer marketing that spans almost 30 years, with an emphasis in vegetables, citrus, row crops and turf applications. He was Eastern U.S. Sales Manager for ORO-Agri, Inc., and Eastern Regional Sales Manager for Exacto, Incorporated.
Mr. Thorpe graduated from Auburn University (War Eagle) with his B.S. in Agricultural Business and Economics. Mr. Thorpe is an active member of the Florida Fertilizer and Ag Chemical Association and the Southern Crop Production Association.
Mark Seipel
Regional Sales Manager – Mr. Seipel grew up on a diverse livestock and row-crop family farm in Northwest Missouri. His career is packed with successful introductions of new technologies in agriculture, such as the Green Seekers Application Systems and Strip-Till fertilizer Management Systems.
In his 30-plus years of sales experience, Mr. Seipel has worked for Yetter Manufacturing as a Territory Sales Manager and a Regional Sales Manager, and Redball, LLC as a Regional Sales Manager. He has worked with farmers and retailers across the country, developing relationships and expanding his knowledge of the industry along the way.
Mr. Seipel graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a B.S. in Education (Industrial Arts).