AURI Elects New Board Members

Agricultural nonprofit adds industry veteran and state legislator to its leadership team.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), a Minnesota nonprofit that helps agribusinesses generate new sales, has elected two new members to its 11-person board of directors. Brian Hansen of Scoular and Rep. Paul Anderson, a fourth-generation farmer, will join the board, which includes representatives from the state's farm groups, commodity organizations, and agriculture committees.

Why it matters

AURI plays a key role in supporting Minnesota's agricultural ecosystem, from farmers and agribusinesses to rural communities. The new board members bring valuable industry experience and legislative expertise that will help shape AURI's future initiatives and impact across the state.

The details

Hansen, the general manager of Scoular's Food Innovation business, has nearly two decades of experience in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Anderson is a fourth-generation farmer who also serves in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he co-chairs the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. In addition, two current board members, Lauren McNamara of SunOpta and Joe Serbus of the MN Soybean Research and Promotion Council, were re-elected to three-year terms.

  • AURI held its annual meeting in January 2026.
  • Hansen and Anderson will begin their new board terms immediately.

The players

Brian Hansen

General manager of the Food Innovation business at Scoular, with nearly two decades of experience in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Rep. Paul Anderson

A fourth-generation farmer who represents a rural West Central Minnesota district in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he co-chairs the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee.

Lauren McNamara

Senior Vice President of Business Management at SunOpta, re-elected to a three-year term on the AURI board.

Joe Serbus

Director of the MN Soybean Research and Promotion Council, re-elected to a three-year term on the AURI board.

AURI

The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, a Minnesota nonprofit that has helped agribusinesses generate more than $188 million in new annual sales in the last five years.

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What they’re saying

“We are excited for Brian Hansen and Rep. Paul Anderson to join the board of directors and share their knowledge and expertise to advance AURI's mission to expand agricultural markets to benefit Minnesota agriculture.”

— Federico Tripodi, AURI Board of Directors Chair

“Minnesota's agricultural ecosystem is uniquely positioned to lead in food and bioindustrial innovation. I'm excited to work alongside the board and AURI's team to help expand markets, support entrepreneurs, and drive long-term economic vitality across our rural communities.”

— Brian Hansen

The takeaway

The addition of industry veteran Brian Hansen and state legislator Rep. Paul Anderson to the AURI board underscores the organization's commitment to leveraging diverse expertise to support Minnesota's agricultural sector and rural communities.