02 February 2022, USA: Syngenta announced today that, after 44 years of dedicated service with the company, Dennis Kelly, head of State Government Relations, will retire on April 1, 2022.
Dennis Kelly, head of State Government Relations
Kelly began his career with legacy company Ciba-Geigy as a research technician in western New York, while attending Cornell University. After graduation, he moved to Mississippi as a sales representative ― advancing to sales and technical marketing positions in Hawaii and California. He began working in State Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs in 1991 and was promoted to lead the State Affairs team in 2004, a position he currently holds.
Kelly has worked with commodity groups, state legislatures, state department of agriculture commissioners, and numerous state and local regulatory officials across the United States on behalf of Syngenta. He is a trusted partner of these stakeholders and is the only industry representative to receive the National Association of Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Ambassador’s Circle Award. Kelly received this honor in 2017 for his career-long support of American agriculture and NASDA.
“Throughout his career, Dennis has brought energy, enthusiasm and a sense of humor to complex public policy issues,” said Val Dolcini, Syngenta head of Business Sustainability and Government Affairs in North America. “We thank him for his many contributions to Syngenta and our industry and wish him the very best in the years ahead.”
Kelly has been active in many industry associations and has held leadership positions with CropLife America, the Agricultural Alliance of North Carolina and several others. He was one of the founders of the Coalition for Urban and Environmental Stewardship (CURES), a California association that works on water quality and the implementation of best management practices.Following his retirement, Kelly will continue to live in eastern North Carolina. Syngenta will release details on his successor once they become available.
