NC Agribusiness Leader Karen LeVert Wins National Demeter Award

Karen LeVert
Karen LeVert.

North Carolina Biotechnology Center board member Karen LeVert is among three women receiving the 2022 Women in Agribusiness Demeter Award of Excellence, which recognizes those who have achieved excellence in their field or demonstrated an extraordinary contribution to the agribusiness industry.

Others chosen for this year’s Demeter award are: Diane Allemang, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for FMC Corporation, an agricultural sciences company based in Philadelphia; and Kendall Jones, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who is president and CEO of ProAg, a major crop insurance company.

LeVert is a venture partner of Pappas Capital in Research Triangle Park, and co-founder of Ag TechInventures, LLC. After a successful IT, financial and executive career in corporate America, LeVert became an entrepreneur and has now come full circle with her mission to advance disruptive technologies in agriculture.

LeVert launched two accelerators to commercialize early-stage technologies from university research labs through the co-founding of Southeast TechInventures (optoelectronics applications) and later Ag TechInventures. She then joined Pappas Capital to invest in companies with the potential to transform the ag tech industry.

“Karen has placed key emphasis on supporting women in their entrepreneurial pursuits,” said Michelle VonCannon, agriculture program and event manager with NCBiotech’s agriculture sector development group, who nominated LeVert for the award. “She recognizes the hurdles women can face and has made it a mission to spotlight these amazing women and their technologies to further revolutionize agriculture.”

LeVert began her career more than 25 years ago with a Fortune-500 insurance company. She has a BBA in information technology from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Dayton.

A recipient of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s Outstanding Service award, she also has been named to the WRAL TechWire Hall of Fame. Additionally, LeVert is a member of the North Carolina Ag Tech Council, eVert began her career with a Fortune-500 insurance company. She has a BBA in information technology from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Dayton. The Economic Development Partnership Board of NC, and the North Carolina State University Agriculture and Life Sciences Foundation board. 

The awards are being conferred at the Women in Agribusiness Summit being held this week in Dallas.

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