WALNUT CREEK, Calif.- Valent U.S.A. Corporation has named Dr. Eric Johnson the company’s new vice president of technology.
Johnson, who has led a wide range of business and technology initiatives during a three-decade career in global agriculture, will oversee all research and development functions, as well as all regulatory activities, for Valent.
Johnson joins Valent after 29 years with Monsanto Company, where he was recognized as an expert in the development and launch of innovative technologies in crop protection and biotechnology traits. His contributions to the global agriculture industry include the launch of novel herbicides, the introduction of Roundup Ready soybeans in the United States and abroad, the development of new technologies for corn and vegetables and the creation of tropical research programs in Brazil.
Johnson’s decision to join Valent was based in part on the company’s focus on innovation, its diverse portfolio of products-including a rapidly expanding line of biorational offerings-and the opportunity to lead new active ingredients through the entirety of the market development process.
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from The College of William and Mary, a master’s degree in weed science and a doctorate in plant pathology from North Carolina State University, and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He will be based in the company’s headquarters in Walnut Creek, Calif.
