Minnesota Lawyer
Lifetime Achievement
Gary Koch had already worked with Christensen Farms for many years before becoming their in-house counsel, but he made the transition under less-than-ideal circumstances. Christensen Farms’ founder and CEO, Bob Christensen, unexpectedly passed away in 2012, and the Christensen family needed people with experience to keep the company afloat.
“With the courage of the remaining family members, we had a seamless transition to the next level of corporate development,” Koch says. Christensen Farms CEO Glenn Stolt credited Koch with much of that success in a 2021 interview with “Connect Business Magazine,” saying, “Gary deserves enormous credit … and has been a steadfast partner and confidant to me the entire time.”
Koch’s career began in the 1980s when he helped keep the local farm economy afloat by modifying loan agreements between farmers and lenders. As someone who grew up on a farm, Koch says, “Agriculture is the greatest resource we have.” He now serves as vice president at Christensen Farms in addition to his role as general counsel.
Besides helping Christensen Farms thrive, Koch says his greatest accomplishment is mentoring the next generation of lawyers and business people. “A bit of that work has been getting people outside their little boxes of siloed decision-making,” he says. “When you’ve got 1,000 employees, you have to develop the muscles that enable you to collaborate with other people.”
Koch also serves as president of GreenSeam, a Mankato-based organization that aims to elevate the area’s role in the agriculture industry. “We’re trying to be hand-in-glove with the university system, helping with tuition and bolstering programs that give students hands-on experience,” he explains. “I think we’re making a difference, and we’re really excited about it.”
Above all, Koch wants to see our area’s agriculture prosper. “Agriculture is really important for our state, and the people who work in agriculture make a big difference every day,” he says. “We should all celebrate and be very proud of that.”
