Harris Moran is pleased to announce the addition of Maurice H. Smith as chief operating officer.

Smith, currently general manager of Nickerson-Zwaan Group in the Netherlands, will take over COO responsibilities from current President and COO Bruno Carette. Carette will remain president of Harris Moran.

A 30-year veteran of the seed/food business, Smith has been with Nickerson-Zwaan Group for the past four years. Nickerson-Zwaan and Harris Moran are sister companies, both owned by Groupe Limagrain, a French agriculture cooperative and a worldwide leader in seed.

Prior to joining Groupe Limagrain, Smith held several high-level executive positions throughout Europe with Petoseed and then with Seminis. His experience spans the seed spectrum, from production, marketing and sales, to research. He is a British citizen and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany from Liverpool University, UK.

He assumes his new functions at Harris Moran starting Nov. 1 

Harris Moran Seed Company is part of the largest independently owned seed company in the world. It is owned by Groupe Limagrain, a French cooperative owned, run, and operated by French farmers.

Harris Moran breeds innovative vegetable varieties designed to boost yield, reduce chemical inputs, and increase freshness, flavor and fruit quality from plow to plate. The Modesto, CA-company breeds vegetables for markets in more than 65 countries.