Michael Yanney is the Chairman of the Board of Managers of the General Partner
that oversees Agribusiness Management Company. He has over 40 years
of investment, banking and business experience. Mr. Yanney has significant
experience in
the development and operation of agribusiness projects in Russia and
other countries of the Former Soviet Union, having been involved in
a total of
more than 40 agricultural related projects in the Former Soviet Union.
In 1978, a company controlled by Mr. Yanney successfully developed
10,000-hectares of soybean farms in the Crimea, Krasnodar and Stavropol
during a three-year
project. He was also involved in the operation of a large cranberry
farm
in Pinsk. In addition, Mr. Yanney worked with Valmont, Inc. in the
development of an irrigation equipment manufacturing plant in Rostov-na-Donu
and also
assisted the John Deere Company in licensing the manufacture of soybean
harvesting equipment to the Ministry of Agriculture of the former Soviet
Union. He was
the principal leader in a major wheat production project in Russia,
which was coordinated with several Western European agribusiness corporations.
Mr. Yanney has dealt directly with or is acquainted with each of the
Soviet
and Russian ambassadors to the United States since 1978 and with the
Ministers of Agriculture and Food. Through his activities, Mr. Yanney
has developed
numerous in Region business and government contacts and has gained
extensive knowledge of both the importation and exportation of agricultural
equipment
and products to and from the former Soviet Union.
Mr. Yanney has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of America First Companies (AFC) since its founding in 1984. AFC is a financial services firm in Omaha, Nebraska that manages public and private investment funds that have raised over $1.6 billion since 1984. From 1977 until the organization of the first such fund in 1984, Mr. Yanney was principally engaged in the ownership and management of commercial banks. From 1961 to 1977, Mr. Yanney was employed by Omaha National Bank and Omaha National Corporation, where he held various positions, including the position of Executive Vice President and Treasurer of the holding company. Mr. Yanney serves as a member of the boards of directors of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation and Level 3 Communications. He has also been on the Board of the Predecessor funds and has had active involvement in all portfolio companies. Mr. Yanney is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the University of Wisconsin, School Of Banking. Mr. Yanney offices in Omaha, NE.
Robert Peyton is a Member of the Board of Managers and
President and Chief Executive Officer of Agribusiness Management Company.
Mr.
Peyton joined America First Companies in 1994 to serve as the President
and Chief Executive Officer of Agribusiness Management Company. In
that capacity, he has overseen the investment in food and agribusiness
investments in
the Former Soviet Union. Mr. Peyton’s previous experience includes
17 years with Cargill, Inc. and ten years with ConAgra, Inc., holding
top management positions with both companies. While at Cargill, Mr.
Peyton served as Vice President of the Southern Region.
Prior to starting Agribusiness Management Company, Mr. Peyton served as Executive Vice President of ConAgra International and President of ConAgra Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. As Executive Vice President of ConAgra International, he was involved in the operational responsibilities of ConAgra’s international business, including strategic planning, business growth and development in a variety of food production, processing and trading businesses. Mr. Peyton was involved with various projects in the Former Soviet Union, including a joint project with the Russian Ministry of Science and the Burlington Northern Railroad, to conduct an analysis of the Russian grain handling system. Mr. Peyton participated in a study of the Soviet poultry industry and completed a joint venture agreement for poultry management. He also has been involved extensively in the marketing and distribution of various agricultural and food products in the Former Soviet Union. Mr. Peyton evaluated and/or developed several businesses in Eastern Europe, in particular poultry and fruit and vegetable processing. He has also been active in the development of and on the Board of all portfolio companies in the API Fund. Mr. Peyton currently serves as Chairman of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce, a Denver-based organization focused on creating business opportunities for Russian and American companies. Mr. Peyton is a graduate of Kansas State University and offices in Omaha, NE.
Ali Petersen is
the Executive Assistant of Agribusiness Management Company. Ms.
Petersen is responsible for assisting team
members in the Omaha and Moscow offices with a variety of projects.
Prior to her
current position,
she was a Staff Assistant/Receptionist with the Burlington Capital
Group. Ms. Petersen joined the AMC team in January 2006. She holds
a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from
the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Ms. Petersen offices in Omaha,
NE .
Gregory Berenstein is the Managing Partner
of Agribusiness Management
Company in Moscow, Russia. Mr. Berenstein was born in the Soviet
Union and immigrated to Israel as a teenager. He has seventeen years’ business
and investment experience internationally and within the Former Soviet
Union. In South Africa, Mr. Berenstein was active as an investment
banker and financial consultant with Deloitte Pim Goldby (Deloitte & Touche
South Africa). Upon returning to Moscow, he acted as advisor to the
President of the Republic of Kalmikia for finances, investments,
and business development.
Prior to joining AMC, he was a Senior Investment Officer for the
Western NIS Investment Fund. He earned an MBA from the University
of South Africa
in Pretoria and a business degree from the University of Haifa in
Israel. Mr. Berenstein is on the Board of the portfolio companies
Rasko and Acodec.
He offices in Moscow, Russia and speaks Russian and English.
Alexander H. Guroff is the Investment Officer for Agribusiness Management
Company, LLC. Mr. Guroff is responsible for the development of the Company’s
real estate investment fund located in Russia and he also oversees all activities
related to the Company’s investments in the Kazakhstan real estate
market. Mr. Guroff has over 10 years experience with developing business
and cultural opportunities for both companies in Russia and the United States.
Mr. Guroff holds a degree in Politics/Russian Area Studies from Princeton
University, a Master’s in Russian Area Studies/International Economics
from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate
School of Business.
Natasha Severinova is the
office Manager of the Agribusiness Management
Company Moscow office. Ms. Severinova has been with AMC since 1995
performing office management duties to include staff management,
insurance benefit
administration and office budgeting and reporting. She is also
the primary contact with State Officials with regard to travel visas
and legal representation
documentation. She speaks Russian and English.
