Featured ceremony speakers included:
• Susuma Katagiri, Mitsui and Company, Ltd. (representing Novus’ Board of Directors)
• Thad Simons, president and CEO, Novus International
• Dr. Jon Hagler, director of agriculture, State of Missouri
• Luis Acevedo, world area sales director, Latin America South, Novus International
• Dr. Thanomvong Taepaisithphongse, executive vice president, Betagro Group, Thailand
• Dr. William H. Danforth, Danforth Plant Science Center
• Dr. Marcos Fava Neves, professor, University Sao Paulo, Brazil, and author, The Future of Food Business

Addressing the attendees of the 20th anniversary ceremony, Simons said: “‘Innovation with Integrity’ has been a central attribute of Novus’ culture from the very beginning. Novus is a company with a global footprint, whose value is derived from employees who work locally to serve our customers, and team with our network of partners. Our success comes from working closely with you and collaborating with you in communities all around the world.”

In addition to a diverse, international group of speakers, the ceremony featured performances from the Japanese Drummer Group and a special performance by the National African Children’s Choir.

Other special events commemorating the company’s 20th anniversary included an international CEO Innovation Roundtable, focusing on the ideas and discoveries that will make a difference in feeding the world over the coming decades.

Novus also hosted a workshop on Organizational Design and Leadership, showcasing its Novus Management System, the business system it has leveraged globally for the past 20 years.

Novus invited well-known agriculture industry authors and management consultants to lead a dialogue with participants on best practices in management principles.

Novus’ 20th Anniversary Celebrations were initiated earlier this year, with back-to-back events at the Asian-Pacific Aquaculture in Kochi, India, and the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. The intention of these celebrations was to demonstrate appreciation for the customers and partners who have supported Novus through the years and still do today.

Novus continues to host appreciation celebrations for customers and partners at its facilities throughout the world, including China, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, Thailand and Australia.

Novus was founded in 1991, and today, has employees working in more than 100 countries, serving more than 3,000 customers worldwide. Novus also has corporate offices, research and development laboratories, and manufacturing operations in more than 50 countries. 

—From Novus International news release