Hi, I’m Maddie Haen, and I work at Hefty Seed Company as a Training Coordinator. I’ve been with Hefty Seed for about a year and a half, and my role focuses on supporting our agronomists and employees through continued education and training.

On a day-to-day basis, I organize and schedule webinars, meetings, and trainings.  I also develop and manage learning resources and other various educational projects aimed at helping my colleagues grow in their roles. Brian and Darren Hefty are passionate about continued education—not only for our agronomists, but also for farmers and others in the ag community. I help coordinate major events such as the Ag PhD Winter Workshops, Neal Kinsey Soil & Fertility Seminar, store meetings, Ag PhD Scouting & Scholarships, and Ag PhD Field Day.

I graduated from South Dakota State University in May 2024 with a degree in Agricultural Business and a minor in Marketing. I found my position at Hefty Seed by attending multiple career fairs—so when your professors encourage you to go, they really mean it! I also took full advantage of the Career Development resources: assistance with resume writing and formatting, preparing an impactful elevator pitch, job offer guidance, and professional development support. These resources are designed to support and guide you through your next steps—both during and after college.

The connections you build now can truly shape your future. As my dad always says: “It’s who you know, not what you know!”

And one last thing—soak up your time as a student. It goes by fast, and these are some of the best years of your life!