Elanco President Jeff Simmons spoke to members and guests at the 87th National FFA Convention and Expo during Session 4.
Since 2008, Jeff Simmons has served as president of Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company, (NYSE: LLY). As part of this role, he is also a Senior Vice President and Executive Officer of Lilly. Elanco is an innovation-driven company with offices in more than 75 countries and 2012 sales of over $2.0 billion. The company is committed to protein production; companion animal health and food safety, with an emphasis on helping the food industry produce a safe and affordable food supply.
In more than two decades with the company, Simmons has held a number of sales, marketing and management positions, in the United States and abroad, including serving as country director in Brazil and area director for West Europe based in the U.K.
These international experiences offered Simmons a new perspective on food and agriculture and created a deep conviction about the need for solutions to global food security. He has published white papers on this topic and actively engages in food security discussions in social media (@jeffsimmons2050).
Simmons also holds a number of leadership positions, including serving on the board of directors for Chiquita, Gleaners Food Bank of Central Indiana and the current President of the International Federation of Animal Health (IFAH). He is also a member of Harvard’s Food Advisory Committee.
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