Born in 1946, Don grew up in then rural Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.  Anticipating a farming career, he studied agriculture and served as President of the Parkland and Bucks-LeMont area FFA Chapters.  He was elected to National Honor Society, awarded the Keystone Farmer degree and received the DeKalb Agriculture Award.

Acquiring the family farm in 1964, Don engaged in general farming until the fall of 1966 when he accepted a production position with Seem Seed Farms in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.  There he learned seedsmanship from Ben and Joe Seem who were leaders in Northeast hybrid field corn development and production, as well as field seed production and certification.  Don became General Manager of Seems in 1972 and Vice President in 1974 when Seedway Inc acquired the operation.

Moving to Hall New York in 1978, Don was named Executive Vice President where he managed sales, seed accumulation, and led the corporate acquisition program.

Agway Inc. acquired Seedway in 1987, when Don was named CEO.  The business expanded rapidly during the 90’s and the company became a major Northeastern farm and turf seed marketer. In 1993, Agway integrated its vegetable seed business into Seedway under Don’s leadership.  Today Seedway is acknowledged as one of the major vegetable seed marketers in the Eastern United States. 

Seedway was acquired by GROWMARK, Bloomington Illinois, in 2002.  As Chief Operating Officer, Don now manages all of GROWMARK’s eastern seed operations, which includes Seedway Inc. and FS Seeds East.  He also serves as Chairman of Allied Seed LLC, Nampa Idaho.

Always active in seed industry activities, Don served as President of the Pennsylvania and New York State Seed Associations, the New York Seed Improvement Cooperative, The Field Seed Institute, The Western Seed Association, and the Atlantic Seedsman’s Association.  He was named Seedsman of the year by the Atlantic in 2001.

Don participated in the inaugural ASTA Management Academy at Purdue in 1988 and the ASTA Executive Management Forum in 2002.

Don is Chairman of the American Seed Trade Association for 2003/2004. His other ASTA activities have included Chairing the Small Grains Committee, the 1988 Farm Seed Conference and the Farm Seed Division, a three year term as Eastern Region Vice President, Chair of the Invasive Species Working Group, and Chair of the Membership and Governance Committees. 

Don is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church in Geneva, New York where he sings in Choir.  He served two terms as Chairman of the Geneva General Hospital and Finger Lakes Health Board of Trustees, and continues to serve as a member of the Administration Committee.

Don and his wife Chris, a music and primary educator, were married  in 1971.  Their daughter, Roberta, is a third year law student at New York University.