West Des Moines, Iowa, USA
February 9, 2011

The Context Network wishes Partner Steve Hawkins a fond farewell as he leaves Context to accept a new role as Chief Executive Officer of Smartfield™, an information company based in Lubbock, Texas.

Context’s Founding Partner, Tray Thomas said, “For five years, Steve has provided our clients and our team with extraordinary vision and practical wisdom in each initiative. Steve is both a respected colleague and a supportive friend. We are all very proud of Steve and respect his decision to move to this next challenge.”

Hawkins stated, “Context is truly best in class for strategy development and for their ability to take complex problems and provide solutions to a myriad of customers, clients and industries. I’ve very much enjoyed working with the partners and associates and will continue to maintain these great relationships. Context’s clients are in the best of hands with the firm’s newly established Partners, Mark Holland and Mark Nelson along with Partners Tray Thomas, Blake Sieker and Mike Borel.”

Hawkins has 40 years of executive management experience in the plant genetics and biotechnology industries. He said, “I have always very much enjoyed an interesting start-up business scenario. I look forward to focusing my efforts as I work with the Smartfield team. It will be an exciting new challenge.”

Together with his wife, Candy, Hawkins resides in Marble Falls, Texas.

The Context Network provides business management and strategy consulting services to the world’s leading agriculture, biotechnology and food companies and government agencies and institutions. Major areas of expertise include strategy, merger and acquisition support, valuation of new technologies, formation of alliances, and market research. The West Des Moines-based firm is composed of a core of professional consultants that is complemented by a network of more than 250 industry and subject-area experts around the world.

Website: http://www.contextnet.com

Published: February 9, 2011