Scott McGinn 2026
From the Family Farm to Industry Leadership
From growing up on a family farm near Sedgwick, Kansas, to leading a global fertilizer business, Scott McGinn (’97) has built a career grounded in agriculture, relationships, continuous learning and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
McGinn, president of Koch Fertilizer, LLC and Koch Agronomic Services, LLC, has been named the 2026 Kansas State University Department of Agricultural Economics Distinguished Alumnus.
For McGinn, agriculture has always been close to home. Growing up on a family farm made Kansas State University a natural choice when it came time for college.
“I’ve always had a passion for agriculture, which led me to Kansas State to pursue a degree in Agribusiness,” McGinn said. “I earned my bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness through the Department of Agricultural Economics, and that decision really set a great foundation for me.”
After graduation, McGinn joined Koch in 1997. During nearly three decades with the company, he has held a variety of commercial and leadership roles across Koch Agriculture, Koch Hydrocarbon and Koch Fertilizer. He also served as chairman of the board for The Fertilizer Institute.
Today, as president of Koch Fertilizer and Koch Agronomic Services, subsidiaries of Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, McGinn is responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the company’s global production and distribution assets, equity partnerships, supply and trading businesses, and specialty products business.
A typical workday, however, is difficult to define.
“Honestly, there isn’t one, and that’s what I enjoy about it,” McGinn said. “Any given day is a mix of market and commodity dynamics, the safety and performance of our operations, our customers and partners around the world, and most importantly our people and how we’re working hard each day to help them reach their potential.”
Building a Foundation at K-State
McGinn credits his Agricultural Economics education with giving him a broad understanding of how the pieces of a business work together.
“My education in the Ag Economics department taught me how markets, economics, operations and people fit together across the whole value chain,” he said. “That foundation is what prepared me well for many different experiences and roles at Koch.”
Whether evaluating a trading operation, production asset or specialty product line, McGinn said the ability to think economically about business decisions can be traced directly to his K-State education.
“I had so many great faculty members at K-State that helped build a strong foundation in economics and business including Dr. Bryan Schurle, Dr. Arlo Biere, and Dr. Allen Featherstone to name a few,” he said.
Not all of his favorite K-State memories happened in the classroom. McGinn was a student during a transformational period for Wildcat football and fondly remembers Saturdays in Manhattan during the early and mid-1990s as the program began its remarkable turnaround.
Saying Yes to Opportunity
When McGinn reflects on the career that followed, he doesn’t point to one promotion or position as the defining moment. Instead, he credits a willingness to continually learn and take on new challenges.
“Joining Koch nearly 30 years ago has been a life-changing experience, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “The biggest impact came from being willing to say yes to new opportunities where I could learn, grow and contribute, even when it meant stepping outside of my comfort zone or taking on unfamiliar opportunities.”
Rather than following a predetermined career path, McGinn focused on opportunities where he could create value while developing his own strengths.
“That mindset, coupled with hard work and the desire to continually improve, has shaped my journey more than any single role,” he said.
It’s a philosophy that also influences his approach to leadership.
McGinn identifies humility, integrity and trust among the qualities he values most in today’s leaders, along with good judgment and the willingness to make decisions. Just as important is a commitment to developing others and helping people reach their potential.
That focus on people carries through when McGinn discusses his own career accomplishments. Rather than pointing to an individual achievement, he credits the collective efforts of his colleagues.
“I’m proud of how our team has worked together to create value for our customers with a principled approach,” he said. “Any success we’ve had as a business is a reflection of our collective efforts and commitment to our values and principles.”
Looking to Agriculture’s Future
After nearly three decades in the fertilizer industry, McGinn remains optimistic about the future of agriculture and the opportunities awaiting today’s students.
Technology, data and greater efficiency in the production and application of nutrients are creating new possibilities throughout the industry. At the same time, the fundamental challenge of producing food for a growing global population ensures that agriculture will continue to need talented people prepared to solve complex problems.
“The world needs agriculture to feed a growing population, and the people entering this field now get to help address that challenge,” McGinn said.
His advice for students preparing to become those leaders begins with something that doesn’t appear on a transcript: relationships.
“Invest in relationships and learning,” he said. “The network you build at K-State and early in your career will matter more than almost anything on your résumé.”
He also encourages students to develop a strong work ethic, remain curious and take opportunities that push them beyond what is comfortable or familiar.
“Learn to communicate clearly and operate with integrity,” McGinn said. “The technical skills get you in the door, but character and communication are what carry a career.”
Coming Full Circle
Being selected as the department’s 2026 Distinguished Alumnus brings McGinn’s journey back to where much of it began.
“It’s genuinely humbling,” he said. “When you look at the names on that list, being included among them is a true honor. I’m forever grateful for my time and experiences as a student at Kansas State and the foundation that I built while in the Department of Agricultural Economics.”
It’s a foundation he hopes today’s students recognize and make the most of while they’re still on campus.
“The foundation you’re building at K-State will take you further than you can imagine right now,” McGinn said. “Make the most of it and take care of the relationships you develop here.”