Spencer
As President, CEO and Founding Member of Decision Innovation Solutions (DIS), Spencer Parkinson is responsible for business generation, fulfillment, ensuring client satisfaction and managing the overall operations of the business. He seeks to understand clients’ data challenges, propose potential solutions and works with clients to enhance their decision-making processes.
Originally from the southeastern Idaho/northern Utah corridor, Spence and his family relocated to the Des Moines, Iowa area in 2005 when he began working as a Research Analyst for the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. He worked at the Iowa Farm Bureau until 2009.
Upon his departure from Iowa Farm Bureau, Spence and his partners expanded the scope of their fledgling business (DIS) into one that would first support him and then others to follow. The DIS team continues to grow in both size and capability.
Areas of research include agricultural policy analysis and economic modeling related to several agricultural industries important to agriculture. Spence is also well-versed in economic impact modeling, which can be applied to nearly all industries.
Spence has extensive hands-on agriculture experience, including twelve years working on a Utah dairy farm, a few years at a feed mill and being raised in his early years on a small grains farm in southeastern Idaho. Spence has instructed QuickBooks classes to farmers while working as a Research Assistant for Utah State University Extension.
Spence earned a dual BS degree in Accounting and Economics from Utah State University in 2004. He also earned an International MBA in Food and Agribusiness from the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, England in 2006.
Education:
- Int’l MBA, Food & Agribusiness, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, England
- B.S. in Accounting & Economics, Utah State University
Expertise:
- Agriculture Policy Analysis
- Economic Impact Modeling
- Project Management
- Feasibility and Due Diligence
- Financial Modeling
Posts by: Spencer
- View
Neonicotinoids and Their Relationship to Iowa Honeybee Colony Success
You don't need to be an Iowa native to know our land is draped with millions of acres of crops. Roughly 30 million acres in…
- View
Multi-Year Average Loss Ratios for Iowa County Crop Insurance
We recently put together a brief article on the actuarial performance of corn and soybean crop insurance premiums in Iowa from 2001-2015. This article was…
- View
The Value of Engineering and Economics Partnerships on Project Proposals
How can economic research and engineering work together toward the common goal of informing funding policies and decisions in order to prioritize limited dollars and…
- View
Agriculture and Forestry – What’s it to Missouri?
Our reason for going to the conference was to report on the contribution of agriculture and forestry to the State of Missouri and each of…
- View
Grain, Sheep, Feed, Milk, Camping Equipment, Muscles and… Data?
Data collection in agriculture has long been a mindset that allows for continuous improvement. With so much data being created on a continuous basis, the…
- View
40% Lower Milk Prices: As Usual, the Data Have a Story to Tell
In an earlier post, I provided readers some background on who I am, where I grew up, and how a Mountain West farm kid made…