Nuvano® Team

MARK SLAVENS,

Co-Founder & CEO

Mark brings more than 30 years of experience in agriculture, pest control, and turfgrass management. With leadership experience at ScottsMiracle-Gro and degrees from Utah State University and Cornell University, he is focused on advancing practical, sustainable solutions for turf and agriculture.

MIKE JACKSON,

Co-Founder & Director of Sales

A Purdue University graduate, Mike brings nearly 30 years of experience in agricultural sales, management, and leadership. He is passionate about serving customers, bringing new technologies to market, and helping agricultural businesses grow through strategic sales and marketing.

CODY DARLING,

Regional Sales Manager

Cody Darling brings experience in agronomy, farm management, and agricultural sales to the Nuvano team. Originally from Michigan and now based in Florida, Cody is passionate about helping growers access high-quality, affordable products while working with Nuvano’s distribution partners to deliver practical solutions and lasting value.

LUKE MCDONNELL,

Regional Sales Manager

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KYLE OSTENSON,

Regional Sales Manager

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DERECK SANDERSON,

Regional Sales Manager

Dereck brings extensive hands-on agricultural experience to Nuvano, from growing up on his family farm in Idaho to roles in crop consulting, retail management, and agronomy. With deep knowledge of the Pacific Northwest, he is focused on building relationships and helping growers and independent agricultural businesses find innovative, practical solutions.

JOSH STOELTING,

Regional Sales Manager

A Purdue University graduate, Josh Stoelting has extensive experience in agricultural sales, seed, and customer relationships. Through Stoelting Ag Services and his work across the industry, Josh has built his career around strong partnerships, practical solutions, and helping growers and retailers succeed.

KURT BARMAN,

Regional Sales Manager

Kurt brings a strong grower-focused perspective to Nuvano as the owner of Barman Seed, Inc. and an active farmer in Illinois. His firsthand agricultural experience helps him understand the challenges growers face while introducing technologies and solutions designed to improve production, profitability, and overall performance in the field.

AUSTIN HAM,

Director of Agronomy

Austin Ham brings deep agricultural roots and experience in specialty fertilizer sales and development to Summit Nutrients. A University of Florida graduate, he is passionate about delivering practical, effective technologies that create value for growers. Austin is based in Plant City, Florida, where his family has farmed for generations.

JENNY PHILLIPS,

Director of Marketing

A graduate of The Ohio State University, Jenny brings more than two decades of experience in marketing, management, and leadership, with a strong focus on agriculture. She combines creativity and strategy to help agribusinesses strengthen their brands, connect with customers, and grow.

SERENA PIPES,

Marketing Manager

A graduate of the College of Charleston Honors College, Serena brings experience in B2B marketing, social media, email marketing, and brand storytelling. She focuses on creating personalized, engaging campaigns that build meaningful connections with audiences and strengthen brands.

HEATHER TOLLIS,

Sales Operations Specialist

Heather brings a diverse background in engineering, management, education, and process improvement to the Nuvano team. Based in Ohio, she enjoys solving problems, supporting the growing sales team, and helping keep people organized and connected while contributing to Nuvano’s continued growth and innovation in agriculture.