Tim Schartner is a Rhode Island business leader, having developed multiple businesses in Rhode Island and Massachusetts with national sales forces. For over thirty five years, Tim has operated Schartner Farms, a 5th generation farming operation spanning three states, with his family. Schartner Farms has won numerous congressional, national and local awards in business, marketing and product development. Tim and his family have grown hydroponic greenhouse tomatoes for over forty years. Tim’s has won numerous national marketing awards and international product development awards. Tim is passionate about ecologically sustainable wealth-creation in the Rhode Island agricultural sector.

Experienced and accomplished technology professional. Over ten years within the information technology industry possessing an extensive Microsoft centric skill set, with multi-faceted expertise encompassing a wide range of hardware, software and networking technologies. Seasoned software developer specializing in sophisticated and highly customized integrated windows based solutions. Well defined written and verbal communication skills, systematic problem solving and analytical abilities, and a strong work ethic.

Dr. Kausch received a Ph.D. in the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program (1983) from Iowa State University. During his postdoctoral work at The Rockefeller University, he conducted seminal research on the transport of proteins into chloroplasts. That technology today is used in most herbicide-resistant crops, such as Round-up Ready. As Senior Research Scientist in the industry sector for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and DeKalb Genetics Corporation, he was a vital member of a team that generated the first fertile transgenic maize plants. He now holds the position of Full Professor at the University of Rhode Island, where he researches advanced breeding technology, molecular biology, and gene discovery in crop plants, including diverse species including maize, rice, and sorghum, renewable energy crops, and various vegetable crops. He is widely recognized as a leader in his field. Dr. Kausch is also a co-founder of a Yale University Spinoff company called Verinomics. Verinomics is an advanced plant breeding company with concentrations on the use of genomics, computational biology, and genome editing to make new varieties of various crop species. Dr. Kausch has authored or co-authored numerous research papers, book chapters, and review articles and is an inventor on over 47 U.S. and worldwide patents in various stages of issuance in fields of molecular and agricultural biotechnology.

Dr. Stutte received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis, and M.S from the University of Georgia, Athens, and B.S. from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. He taught horticulture and specialized in fruit production at the University of Maryland for seven years before being recruited to N.A.S.A.'s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Dr. Stutte is founder and president of SyNRGE, L.L.C., a consulting and research and development Services Company specializing in space agriculture and controlled environments. Prior to founding SyNRGE, Dr. Stutte worked at N.A.S.A.'s John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for over 20 years as a Principal Investigator and Senior Plant Scientist, where he led research in areas of horticulture, space biology, and controlled environments for space application. Dr. Stutte was a Principal Investigator on four experiments to the International Space Station. Dr. Stutte was awarded a Senior Marie Curie Research Fellowship from the European Union to establish a controlled environment facility at the Limerick Institute of Technology. While in Ireland, he developed and led Ireland's 1st biological experiment to the International Space Station.

Dr. Stutte is actively engaged in developing ground-based applications of space technology for controlled environment agriculture, including L.E.D. lighting systems, production practices for high-value crops, and design of plant factories. Dr. Stutte is an advisor to the Foundation for Food and Agriculture's 'Urban Food Systems" and "Making My Plate Your Plate" challenge areas, courtesy faculty at the Department of Horticultural Sciences, University of Florida. He has served as an advisor for indoor agriculture facilities in North America, Europe, Central America, and Asia. Professor Stutte is a founding member and Executive Director for the American Council for Medicinally Active Plants and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Plant Growth Regulation Society of America, U.S.D.A. Committee for Controlled Environment Technology, Space Biology Working Group, is on ASABE HVAC for Indoor Grower Standard Development Committee, and has courtesy faculty status at the University of Florida Horticultural Sciences Department.

Dr. Gene Giacomelli is a Professor in the Biosystems Engineering Department and an adjunct professor in the School of Plant Sciences, and a member of the Bio5 Institute at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. In 2000, he was appointed inaugural Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (C.E.A.C.), and he served until 2018. Dr. Murat Kacira now leads C.E.A.C. as its Director. C.E.A.C. develops inter-disciplinary science and engineering education, research, and outreach/Extension programs at the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (C.A.L.S.) for the state of Arizona, the U.S.A., and the world. Programs develop and enhance food crop production systems for plants, fish, and mushrooms within controlled environments such as greenhouse, growth chamber, or other indoor systems (Vertical Farm). A primary focus is a collaboration and education for growers and business entrepreneurs who use crop production techniques and engineering technology of hydroponics and C.E.A. to produce food crops that complement traditional field production.