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By Don Lipper
June 25, 2004
Pam Marrone
When she was a child, Pam Marrone's father used a commercial pesticide that killed every insect in the area, including her prized bug collection.
She has since turned her quest for better pest control into the region's hottest biotech company, with tens of millions in venture backing. Beyond that, she's been an evangelist for economc development to support the growth of biotech in the region, even as AgraQuest blazes its own 'green' trail in the industry.
Since it was founded in 1995 AgraQuest has screened over 20,000 microorganisms to develop natural products for pest management. Rather than carpet-bombing pests with chemicals, the company believes cash-strapped farmers can battle them cost-effectively by going after the nasty critters with helpful ones and the stuff they produce.
With 2002 sales of more $3 million, AgraQuest sells products in 11 countries. Its Serenade Garden Disease Control is outpacing the competition at Wal-Mart, and more products are in the pipeline.
Marrone recently gave up the CEO slot to focus full time on getting AgraQuest ready for a $40 million public stock offering, maybe next year.
Outside the office, Marrone is a co-founder of the Davis Area Technology Association, has worked with UC Davis Connect and local healthcare and entrepreneurship organizations, and has become an international envoy of the local biotech industry.
©
2003, The Business Journal