Education

Agricultural Economics, University of Illinois

Home Base

Owensboro, Kentucky

My Approach

“I ask questions like, “what are your primary concerns? What keeps you awake at night?” From there, we start to build a strategy based on people–internal relationships and external partnerships.  And I always follow through and stay in touch, which is why all of our new business continues to come through referrals.” 

Mark Scholl, Co-Founder

Mark Scholl is a co-founder and partner with Commonwealth Ag Strategies where he provides expertise on ag economics, commodities/macroeconomic forecasting, and business strategy.

Mark’s Agriculture Economics degree and postgraduate work in agricultural policy led him into commercial lending within primarily ag-centered portfolios.  Mark’s interest in the commercialization of value-added grains developed while an equity partner of a regional seed company.  This led to work with ICI, British Petroleum, and ultimately co-founding ExSeed Genetics.  ExSeed was later sold to BASF, where he served as Director of BASF Plant Science.

In the past, Mark served as a member of the USDA – G.I.P.S.A. Advisory Board, Republican Nat’l Committee Small Business Advisory Board, Governor’s Biotech Advisory Board in Iowa, and the Business Council of BASF Plant Science in Germany.

Key Experience

Former Clients

Genetics of Grains & Cereals| Commodities Trends & Futures | Commercial Lending

Mark’s career started in banking and moved into the emerging world of genetics. Throughout his career he has always kept an interest in growing the family farm and grain export business, J&M Scholl, Inc. Along the way, Mark worked for the Farm Credit System, British Petroleum and ICI, Toyomenka Grain, BASF, and ENTIRA.

Advocacy

From 2015-2017 Mark served as Farm Foundation’s Chairman for two years and spearheaded the planning and implementation of a major strategic overhaul of the organization that continues today. He remains an active member on the Board of Trustees. Read more about Mark’s leadership efforts with Farm Foundation here.

The mission of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation is to instill youth in the Greater East St. Louis area with the dream, drive and determination necessary to succeed in academics, athletics and leadership.

In the past, Mark served as a member of the USDA – Grain Inspection Advisory Board, Republican Nat’l Committee Small Business Advisory Board, Governor’s Biotech Advisory Board in Iowa, and the Business Council of BASF Plant Science in Germany.