PAUL KUBISTA 1999, 2001 Seeds of Success Kubista sees a great future for hemp.
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Th e Torc h
When Paul Kubista 1999 and 2001 neared graduation, he was already on the fast track toward a future in agriculture. Paul’s father, Ron, also a University of Minnesota alumnus, worked for Pioneer for 30 years, and Paul found himself learning a great deal and wanting to emulate Ron. After several summer internships working in agronomy, he felt ready for a career following in his father’s footsteps. But, life throws in the occasional speedbump, and for Kubista, working with Pioneer, where he had interned during college, became unlikely, and he found himself needing to reassess. The University of Minnesota Crookston began offering a degree in turf management while Paul was a student there, and it provided him an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. “I love golf and combining my agronomy degree with a degree in golf and turf management seemed the perfect solution,” Kubista says. “I stayed on campus to complete my second bachelor’s degree.” Prior to his graduation, Kubista took his spring break and traveled from Minnesota to Michigan to visit golf courses and apply for internships. It led to a shared internship with two golf courses in Michigan where he learned a great deal about the industry. His first job after college was as assistant superintendent at the prestigious Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata, Minn., where he worked for four years. Over that time, Kubista built valuable relationships and enjoyed the golf world. “I knew I would always enjoy golf, but after four years, I was curious about my other interest—agronomy.” Kubista took a job with a seed company, but after a few months, the company changed hands, and he was once again wondering what would be next. A call
