Suggestions
John Finegan
Founder, Beck Ag
John Finegan is a Venture Partner | Agriculture at impact Venture Capital, a position he has held since January 2017.12 He is an experienced professional with a diverse background in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and venture capital.
Career Highlights
- Founder and Board Chair of Beck Ag, Inc. since January 199712
- Shareholder at Fusion Growth Partners since February 20121
- Venture Partner | Agriculture at impact Venture Capital since January 201712
Background and Education
John Finegan has a BS in Horticulture/Agriculture from Penn State University.23 He served for two years in the U.S. Peace Corps as an agricultural educator and advisor.13
Professional Experience
- Worked at Chevron Chemical Company for 15 years in various leadership positions, including sales, marketing, product development, and regulatory affairs3
- Completed Northwestern University's 12-month Kellogg Management Institute3
- Founded Beck Ag in 1997, pioneering an educational engagement model for technology understanding and adoption in agriculture3
Achievements and Recognition
- Recipient of the Ag industry's "Ag Communicator of the Year" award in 20003
- Received the Dilworth Award for Innovation in 20053
- Recognized as the Greater Sacramento Region's Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 20093
- Named Civic Entrepreneur of the Year by the Sacramento Metro Chamber in 20113
John Finegan has over 35 years of experience in sales, marketing, education, communications, and management.3 He is known for his involvement in various boards and leadership roles, including Impact Venture Capital, Capital Public Radio, and Social Venture Partners of Sacramento, among others.3
Highlights
“If you treat farming like a business, it’s a great way of life. Treat it like a way of life, it is a poor business.”
- Gerrid Gust, Saskatchewan Farmer
Current Beck Ag, Inc. CEO, Richard Bettison, is our “Re-Founder” who led the transformation of the business into what a client shared is their “secret weapon”. We often hear, “Wow, I didn’t realize Beck Ag did that”. The "that" = Master Data Management, CRM with Predictive Analytics, Commercialization Strategy Development, Design & Integration, Strategic Benchmarking, Execution Excellence, Loyalty Program Data Collection, Calculations & Fulfillment, and more, all based on 27 years of Ag-focus!
