Syngenta adds two to western U.S. team

Syngenta named Frank Santiago as a district sales manager for Syngenta Professional Solutions, where he will support customers in the turf and ornamental markets across the western United States.

Based in Tucson, Arizona, Santiago has extensive industry and regional experience. Most recently, he served as a senior sales representative with BASF in the southwestern U.S. Prior to that, he held roles across the Southwest and Pacific Northwest with Corteva and Simplot. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s in agricultural education from the University of Arizona.

“Joining the Syngenta team is an exciting step in my professional journey and I am committed to supporting customers across golf, lawn and landscape, greenhouse and nursery businesses,” Santiago said. “My focus is to build upon the success of these already strong partnerships, backed by the expertise of Syngenta including its R&D and agronomic solutions.”

Prior to joining the turf industry, Santiago worked more than a decade at the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, where he served in progressively more senior roles overseeing student recruitment, academic services and diversity initiatives. He chartered the Turf Cats student organization and played a pivotal role in their inaugural participation in the GCSAA Turf Bowl competition in 2024. He has also organized field days and study materials for Arizona FFA members competing in the National FFA Turf Science competition.

“Frank brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership and passion to the turf and ornamental industries, not only in sales and customer relationships, but also in fostering future talent,” said Dave Ravel, head of sales for Syngenta Professional Solutions. “I have every confidence that Frank will excel in this role, providing our partners in the western U.S. with sales support and innovative products to solve challenges and drive success.”

Santiago will oversee eight territory managers in the West district of Syngenta Professional Solutions, including newly appointed territory manager Lorabeth Catterson, who succeeds Greg Fukumitsu in this role following his retirement.

Catterson joined Syngenta in 2023 and previously served as a digital platform sales specialist. Prior to Syngenta, she spent nearly a decade in golf course management as assistant director of agronomy at Hillcrest Country Club and in agronomy roles at Los Angeles Country Club, both in Los Angeles. She earned a master’s in data science from the University of Colorado Boulder and a bachelor’s degree in plant sciences from Rutgers University.