Agribusiness Advisory Committee

Jennifer Carpenter is the Deputy Executive Director of Conservation and Government Relations for the Florida Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC)—a global non-profit organization dedicated to Conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. At TNC, she oversees the Science and Planning Department, Strategy and Policy Department, Stewardship and Field Programs, and Government Relations.

Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy, Ms. Carpenter spent over two decades with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection in a variety of roles including the Director of the South District office, where she oversaw implementation of the state’s environmental regulatory programs in the South District.  During her time at DEP, she also worked on large-scale ecosystem restoration projects as well as water quality assessment and restoration work including TMDLs and BMAPS.  Ms. Carpenter has a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences and a master’s degree in Environmental Science from Florida Gulf Coast University.

For eight years, Denise served in the Florida House of Representatives, and has been the only female to ever chair the influential House Appropriations Committee   She then served in the Florida Senate from 2012-2018.  During that time, she chaired several appropriation committees as well as the Energy and Agriculture Committee. During her legislative career, Denise has been recognized by a variety of organizations, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce, for her consistent efforts in fostering an environment for business to prosper.  She is regarded as an expert in state health care policy, a reputation forged out of her concern for patient access to quality, affordable care.  To that point, Denise authored or was a key player in nearly every significant piece of health care legislation passed by the Florida Legislature during her last 8 years in office. A fifth-generation Floridian, Denise Grimsley was born and raised in the Florida’s Heartland.  She graduated from South Florida Community College, Polk Community College and Warner Southern College with degrees in Nursing and Organizational Management. She later earned an MBA from the University of Miami.  In 2013 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters for her work in Health Policy by Nova Southeastern University and in 2018 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws by Flagler College. From 2013-2022 she served as a Vice President/Administrator for AdventHealth responsible for the Wauchula and Lake Placid Hospital Campuses as well as several service lines for the Heartland Region. Denise currently serves as the CEO for The Development Group, responsible for growing the economy of Hardee County.

Lindsay M. Harrington has been a Punta Gorda, Florida resident for over 43 years and has been an active supporter of the region and state’s agricultural and marine industries. Born in Charlottesville, VA, he earned a B.A. in business administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a M.A. in human resource management from Pepperdine University. Harrington served in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve for over 13 years. Harrington was elected in 1996 to the Florida House of Representatives, District 72, which included Hardee, DeSoto, and parts of Charlotte and Lee counties. He held leadership roles on the Agriculture, Natural Resources, Education, Policy and Procedures and Budget Committees. Harrington was selected to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore during his 2002-2004 term. Harrington also served on the Punta Gorda City Council for 8 years and as the city’s Mayor from 1995-1996. Harrington served as a FGCU Trustee from 2000-2005 and on the 2016 Presidential Search Committee. He is a Realtor Emeritus having served SW Florida for over 43 years and has held leadership positions in various real estate organizations. He serves on the DeSoto/Charlotte Farm Bureau board. Harrington currently serves as the Vice Chair for the FGCU Center for Agribusiness Advisory Committee. 

John Kiernan leads Alico (NASDAQ-ALCO) as President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors and previously became CFO in 2015.   He also serves as a board member for Codorus Valley Bank (NASDAQ-CVLY) in York, PA and is a member of its Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees. Before joining Alico, John worked as the CFO of Greenwich Associates, a private global research-based consulting firm serving the financial services industry. John previously worked as the Treasurer and SVP for Capital Markets & Risk Management for Global Crossing until its $3B sale to Level 3 in 2011. He was also the VP of Investor Relations for Misys plc, which maintained a public listing on the London Stock Exchange and a NASDAQ listing for one of its subsidiaries, and a Director of Corporate Development for IBM.

Earlier in his career, John spent 12 years as an investment banker and specialized in IPOs and M&A for technology companies during his tenure at Bear Stearns, where he earned the title of Managing Director.

John earned a BA in Finance and History summa cum laude from Saint Vincent College, earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a member of New York Bar, a NACD Certified Director, and a Certified Treasury Professional. John is a proud resident of Fort Myers and his wife, Patty, is the Coordinator of Religious Education for St. Cecilia’s Parish.  John is a member of the Florida Land Council and the Urban Land Institute Southeast Florida. He is the past President of the Camp Fire Conservation Fund Inc. and is a current officer and Board of Governor of the Camp Fire Club of America.  For the past 20 years, John has been a board member for Catholic Charities Community Services with the Archdiocese of New York.

Jeremy Nipper serves as the Agriculture Sales Manager at Everglades Equipment Group, overseeing all agricultural equipment sales across its 18 dealerships throughout the state of Florida. His focus lies in introducing innovative equipment technology solutions to Florida's farming landscape. With a marketing degree from Valdosta State University, Jeremy initially began his career at Kennco Manufacturing before transitioning to John Deere Equipment with Everglades. Notably, Jeremy was a member of FFVA Emerging Leaders class 12. Outside of work, he prioritizes family, coaching his sons' football and hockey teams, and enjoying quality time with his wife, Kelly, and their three children: Jadyn, Kamdon, and Kolton.

Rachel graduated from FGCU in 2009 with her bachelor’s degree. She is a proud Eagle and still a resident of Fort Myers, FL. Rachel works for Melon1, a grower, packer and shipper of watermelons on the East Coast of the U.S. She is the currently the Chief Marketing Officer. In addition to her involvement at FGCU, she is on the Executive Committee of the National Watermelon Association, and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Watermelon Promotion Board.