Kruse joined the editorial staff of Successful Farming as Senior Farm Management Editor in 1976 and was named Editor-in-Chief in 1989. He served the magazine as it developed digital brands, including Agriculture.com, Meredith's first website; international publishing; television programming, social media and other brand extensions.
“I’m excited about this opportunity with Successful Farming, clearly the preferred media of choice for today’s farmers,” said Kurns. “I plan to build upon the award-winning work of Loren Kruse and the entire editorial team. We will look to engage our audience in new ways across multiple platforms, including print, digital, mobile and video and custom solutions.”
Kurns, 51, has a long, distinguished history in digital publishing. He was part of the founding team that launched www.agriculture.com. He later served as the first Editor-in-Chief of Meredith Interactive Media, which included oversight of the Better Homes and Gardens and Parents branded websites.
Kurns has worked in the company's business-to-business marketing services agency, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing. He was responsible for creating and directing custom
marketing initiatives for major clients, including Kraft Foods, The Principal Financial Group, Chrysler, MetLife and Publix.
Kurns began his career as a newspaper journalist with at the Ames Tribune and the Quad-City Times. A 1982 graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, Kurns currently serves as Chair of the ISU Greenlee School of Journalism Advisory Council. He is a past recipient of the James W. Schwartz Award for Distinguished Service to Journalism and Communication, the Greenlee School’s highest honor.
A native of Joliet, IL, Kurns and his wife, Sharon, live in Johnston, IA. They have two children, Daniel (24) and Anna (21).
“Dave brings impeccable journalism credentials and expansive experience in creating content across multiple platforms,” said Successful Farming Group Publisher Scott Mortimer. “This is extremely important because today’s farmers have led the charge in the adoption of digital, mobile and new media technologies. The need for engaging information will grow even more in importance given the increasingly complex business decisions farmers face today.”
