Always in Kontango #5 • Kaylee Heap, Heap Farms

In this fifth episode of “Always in Kontango,” we had an insightful conversation with Kaylee Heap, Owner of Heap Farms. Over the last ten years Kaylee has become an expert in commodities, the movement of commodities, and technology, and has emerged as a leader in the agriculture technology space.

https://open.spotify.com/show/4M0wXNIvCDA8HB7WHtBVf0

In addition to her career in agriculture and logistics, Kaylee owns and operates a farm in Illinois, where she lives with her husband and three young sons..

Growing up in a small town with a large family that ran several small businesses, she married into farming after meeting her husband in college. Raised with an 'all hands-on deck' mindset, she attributes her ability to adapt to farm life to her childhood experiences running her family's small businesses with her siblings.

Kaylee studied accounting and finance in college, and her interest in farming started with an internship at a bank, where she eventually became an underwriter for agriculture loans. She transitioned from banking to the grain industry, working first as an originator for a co-op in Northern Illinois, and later managing their innovations team. She was introduced to the technology side of the business while trying to solve her team’s workflow issues, which sparked her enthusiasm for using technology to connect systems and solve complex problems.

Passionate about agriculture and technology, Kaylee discusses the challenges and opportunities in the grain industry, particularly in the movement of commodities. She shares her thoughts on addressing industry concerns through technology solutions and the need for collaboration within the industry to drive positive change.In this podcast episode, we explore the significant moments of Kaylee's career and her experiences working in the agriculture technology sector. Join us in this episode as we hear Kaylee’s perspectives on successfully exacting change in the industry, her excitement about seeing solutions successfully implemented, and her experience as a panelist at the Women in Agribusiness Conference.

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4M0wXNIvCDA8HB7WHtBVf0?si=46d6db8afd43421d

Always in Kontango #5: https://open.spotify.com/show/4M0wXNIvCDA8HB7WHtBVf0

In this episode: Kaylee Heap (Owner, Heap Farms), Mara Jorgenson (Head of Freight, Kontango)