The head of the California State University, Fresno agricultural economics department is the new director of Mississippi State's Agribusiness Institute.
Juan C. Batista assumes his duties on the Starkville campus March 1. He succeeds McRae F. Banks, the first full-time director who now is an administrator at Worcester (Mass.) Polytechnic Institute.
Established in 1992, the institute provides education, training and research to the state's agribusiness enterprises. It is a joint effort of the colleges of Business and Industry and of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Batista, who holds a doctorate from Cornell University, specializes in international trade and marketing. At CSUF, he also was director of the Center for Agriculture Business. Prior to joining the faculty there, he was founder and general partner of an international marketing and sales company involved in the export/import of foods, wines and other agricultural products.
He earlier headed a Massachusetts agricommodities firm and taught at Cornell.
"Dr. Batista has a wealth of experience to better serve the students of Mississippi State and the agribusiness enterprises of Mississippi and the Mid-South," said Dean William R. Fox, agriculture and life sciences. "His experience in international agribusiness will provide increased economic development opportunities for our state."
Business Dean Harvey S. Lewis characterized Batista as "a very high-energy, roll-up-your-sleeves, practical kind of guy who will relate well to all constituencies.
"He has been 'in the trenches' with faculty and students and with agribusiness entities and has been highly successful in working in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary environments," Lewis added.
In addition to training and outreach activities, the Agribusiness Institute coordinates a master of agribusiness management degree program. Some 40 faculty members from both Mississippi State colleges are involved in its operation.
Formal approval of Batista's appointment is expected at a future meeting of the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning.