Harry Stine (businessman)
Harry H. Stine | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder and proprietor of Stine Seed |
Harry H. Stine (born 1941/1942) is an American billionaire entrepreneur, recognized as the founder and proprietor of Stine Seed.
Family and early life
Harry is the son of Bill and Roselba Stine, with family agricultural roots tracing back to 1871 when his great-grandparents started a 160-acre farm in Adel, Iowa. The farming tradition was further developed by his grandfather, Ira Cloyd Stine, and later by Bill and Roselba, who relocated to a 200-acre property that evolved into Stine Seed Farm during the 1950s.
Career
Stine amassed his wealth through licensing soybean and corn genetics to leading agribusiness corporations such as Syngenta and Monsanto. As of 2020, he is recognized as Iowa’s wealthiest person and its sole billionaire, owning close to 15,000 acres via Stine Seed, which makes him the largest landholder in the state.
According to Forbes, his net worth was valued at $3.2 billion in 2018, increased to $5 billion in 2019—earning him the #131 spot among the richest Americans—and reached $5.7 billion in 2020, securing his position as Iowa’s richest individual and #484 worldwide.
Politics
A registered Republican, Stine did not endorse Donald Trump during the 2020 presidential election but supported Elizabeth Warren in the Iowa Democratic caucuses that same year.