Dr. Steven Sonka

Dr. Steven T. Sonka serves as interim Vice Chancellor for Public Engagement for the University of Illinois. He also is of Emeritus Soybean Industry Chair in Agricultural Strategy at the institution. In addition he has been a Partner in the Centrec Consulting Group LLC for more than 20 years. In this role, Dr. Sonka provides leadership on issues related to engagement on state, national and international levels.

His current interests center on the dynamics of change effecting global food chains. A professor of agricultural management, Sonka recently retired from the faculty of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. From 1996 to 2003, he was the first Director of the National Soybean Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois. Nationally recognized as an outstanding instructor, he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in strategic management in agribusiness and use of decision support systems in agriculture. From a Midwest farm family, Dr. Sonka received a Bachelor's degree (1970, with distinction) and a Ph.D. degree (1974) in economics from Iowa State University. Listed in Whos Who in America, he has authored or co-authored over 200 books, articles and publications. A respected researcher, Dr. Sonka has a particular interest in relating that scholarship to practical issues of importance to decision makers. His international experiences include consulting and lecturing on every continent except Antarctica.

Recent Appearance:

Jun 13-15, 2007
Featured Speaker, AgGlobalVision's Executive Seminar: Global Agriculture & Global Trade: Expanding our Markets and Serving our Customers
Atlanta, USA