Ron Butler has more than 35 years of experience in public relations, marketing communications and journalism. He has created and shaped corporate, public affairs and product promotion programs, including new product and technology launches, for companies in a variety of industries, such as agricultural seeds, biotechnology, foods, dairy, turf, animal health, agricultural chemicals, and information services. Prior to launching CCN in 1991, Ron was Managing Account Supervisor for the Agribusiness Division of Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.

Through his public relations and journalism work, Ron has developed and maintained extensive management and media contacts throughout agribusiness, food processing, baked foods, the grain trade, financial services, entertainment, government and politics. Through his work in and with the news media, he has thorough understanding of editorial needs and styles, and hundreds of contacts among key editors nationwide.

Major corporations with which Ron has worked in marketing communications or editorial consultation include: AgrEvo, BASF, MPower³, Makhteshim-Agan of North America, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Sandoz Crop Protection Corp., Alfa-Laval Agri, Inc., Sanofi Animal Health, Inc., Agrigenetics Corp. seed companies, CelPril Industries, SyntroVet, United Agri Products, Loveland Industries, International Multifoods, Universal Foods.

Ron has worked with or established substantive contacts with many major national and international organizations, including: The National Cotton Council, the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, the American Soybean Association, the National Corn Growers Association, the American Bakers Association, the Millers National Federation, the National Pasta Association, Wheat Foods Council, and livestock associations.

A Kansas City native, he was 19 and still attending the University of Missouri at Kansas City when he began his career as a reporter for The Kansas City Times. Over the course of nearly two decades with major daily newspapers, Ron was a feature writer and entertainment columnist for The Tulsa World; manager of the food, home and garden, fashion and lifestyle sections of The Arizona Republic (Phoenix); and business and financial editor of The Commercial Appeal (Memphis).

In the business press, he was managing editor of the livestock newspaper Drovers Journal and editor of the distinguished Milling & Baking News. He also was editor of Missouri Times, one of the nation's handful of statewide newspapers covering politics, government and business in depth. He has been a correspondent for Time and USA Today, and has contributed feature stories and case studies to Seed World, Custom Applicator, Ag Retailer, Ag Aviation, Roads & Bridges, Pollution Engineering, Powder & Bulk Engineering and other magazines.

Over the years, Ron has won numerous awards from various organizations honoring public relations and editorial excellence, including the Public Relations Society of America, the National Agri-Marketing Association, and the Missouri Press Association.