Garst Seed Company announces the addition of Tony Nichols as Database Marketing Manager to the company's marketing staff. The position is based in the company's research and corporate headquarters in Slater, Iowa. "We're very excited to have Tony join our teams," says David Witherspoon, vice president and director of marketing for Garst Seed Company. "His background, experience and expertise in developing highly-focused database marketing programs is a very welcome addition to our marketing team and capabilities."

Prior to joining Garst, Nichols was marketing database manager for the Equitable of Iowa Companies in Des Moines where he was instrumental in developing a very successful database for one of Iowa's leading fixed annuity and life insurance companies.

Gaining experience on the creative marketing side of the business, Nichols also worked as an Account Manager at CMF&Z Advertising in Des Moines and as an Account Manager for Relationship Marketing, a full service advertising agency specializing in "relationship marketing" thorough highly targeted marketing efforts.

"I look forward to working for a great organization that has recognized the value and is committed to developing a quality database marketing program to assist it's distribution channels in the sales process," says Nichols.

Nichols is a graduate of the University of Iowa in Iowa City where he earned a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Communications along with a minor in Marketing. Originally from Burlington, Iowa, Nichols and his wife Amy now live in West Des Moines.

Garst Seed Company is the largest member of the Advanta group of companies. With corporate and research headquarters in Slater, Iowa, Garst, along with AgriPro Seeds and Interstate Seeds are key components in Advanta's worldwide seed technology network that includes
research, development and breeding facilities in 14 U.S. states and in 12 countries around the globe.

Company news release
N2214