Putting Genetics to Work
Come 1st July, Gemnetics is set to have a new Managing Director. Dr Sue Carson is retiring after 15 years in the role, to be succeeded by Jude Sise, who is currently a Partner and a Consultant at AbacusBio.
AbacusBio and Rotorua-based Gemnetics merged in August last year. As a combined unit they have expertise in plant, animal, and aquaculture breeding and have worked together for clients across a broad range of species including salmon, honeybees, radiata pine, Manuka, hemp, and livestock.
Dr Anna Campbell, managing director of AbacusBio in Dunedin says, “Sue’s deep experience and knowledge will certainly be a loss for us, and we thank Sue for her utmost dedication in working with us particularly through the merger process and continuing to deliver and develop new opportunities in the plant breeding space.”
Sue co-founded Gemnetics with her husband, Mike Carson, in 2005 to license their flagship breeding software, Gemview that was created as a means to inform science-backed decisions around genetic selection and improvement. They have also developed Gemstock in that time
Before that, Sue has worked for a range of organisations in forestry, genetics, and plant pathology after obtaining a PhD from North Carolina State University.
“I have had a long and interesting career in science, but now am looking forward to focusing on other things and a somewhat slower pace of life. I know that Gemnetics is in good hands going forward and the team will continue to support breeding programmes with innovative and creative solutions,” Sue says.
Jude Sise will be taking over the Managing Director role at Gemnetics on July 1st. Jude has an excellent analytical and business background as a Partner at AbacusBio and has been working with Sue throughout the transition period. Jude says “it has been an absolute privilege working with Sue over the past couple of years. Her strong work ethic and dedication to the plant breeding sector have been truly inspirational to us. We wish Sue a long and happy retirement and all the very best for the future”.
The Gemnetics team will also be bolstered by Sharl Liebergreen from AbacusBio in Dunedin taking on a business development role – this is in recognition of the excellent base of products already built and the wide opportunities for them.