DES MOINES, IA (July 26, 2023) — Landus is proud to welcome Ryan Grant to the executive leadership team as communications and marketing leader. Grant has a long history of marketing and communications in the sports and entertainment industry, most recently as president of the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA G League franchise Iowa Wolves, where he was recognized as G League Executive of the Year this past May. Grant's history of forming strategic partnerships, brand marketing, and his scope of operating organizations driven by positive community impact arms him with the exact experience Landus needs to move the farmer closer to the end consumer. The primary function of the events and marketing departments at Landus is to propel farmers to engage with their communities and tell the stories of their crops to end consumers.
“The events and marketing departments within Landus will be fueling the movement forward to Landus expansion. Having a person like Ryan on the team will guide the communications Landus has with its farmer-owners,” said Matt Carstens, president and CEO of Landus. “Ryan’s experience navigating a smaller franchise in an international market makes his candidacy for this position a no-brainer.”
Grant’s six-year term as the Iowa Wolves president, required him to understand minor-league markets and their responsibilities within the broader scope of the National Basketball Association. His career has always aligned within sports and event management and driving business outward toward new audiences. Prior to his Iowa Wolves role, he was director of sports marketing and events for Hy-Vee, and general manager of Cyclone Sports Properties.
The communications and marketing leader’s responsibility within Landus is pursuing further engagement with farmer-owners and their end consumers. Grant’s new role will mesh his experience in penetrating new markets and the plan of expanding Landus services. “There’s not much of a difference between marketing a sports team and agriculture. We are building relationships with consumers through products, services and innovation that provide value to the consumers and a positive impact in the community,” said Grant.
The Landus mission paired with Grant’s longstanding resilience in marketing will drive farmer crops into newer and bigger markets — markets that know the story of Landus farmer-owners and their crops.
Ryan and his wife Crista reside in Johnston, Iowa and have three children, Lauren, Morganne and Reid.
