Our Family
Rob Shortell, Ph.D.
Robert Shortell, Ph.D.
Dr. Shortell joined the green industry 25 years ago with a passion for crop management and applied agronomy. Since then he has specialized in a variety of agriculturally related fields earning a Master's degree in weed science and a Doctorate of Philosophy in grass breeding and genetics from the prestigious Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA; with emphasis on the physiological management of environmental stress.
Dr. Shortell's enthusiasm has brought him to diverse agricultural production centers across the globe spanning most agronomic and horticultural crops, where he absorbs information and teaches students and farmers how to solve their problems and increase yield and profitability across adverse agronomic and market environments.
Dr. Shortell founded Agmerica in 2019 committed to preparing the agriculture industry to meet the food demands for our rapidly increasing world population using knowledge and experience to increase crop yield and production efficiency, to manage the environment and maximize our partners' profitability.
Next to his innovative influence within the broad fields of his scientific expertise, Dr. Shortell is a visionary open minded resource of inspiration and motivation for his teams, partners and people in the industry. Dr. Shortell's capacity to match and connect domains of specialty, talent and industries within a future-driven perspective has paved roads and bridges to a new entrepreneurial biotope in agriculture and agriculture-related industries..
Mark D. Welch MS, PCA
Mark D. Welch MS, PCA
Graduate Degree MS Agriculture Plant Protection Science
Graduate BS Crop Science Agronomy
Agricultural Pest Control Advisor
Mark Welch, M.S., P.C.A. Began his agricultural career in the 1970's working in a variety of agricultural crops including cotton, citrus, seed alfalfa and walnuts in Visalia, California. He discovered his passion for wine grapes in 1990's when he became involved with the vineyard at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. Mr. Welch holds a B.S. in Crop Science, a M.S. in Agriculture specializing in Plant Protection Science, and a California Pest Control Advisor's license.
In 2002 - 2004 Mark was employed by Central Coast Vineyard Team and was a graduate research assistant for Dr. Michel Costello focusing on mealy bug and spider mite infestations in wine grapes. From 2004 to 2011 he was employed as a Lecturer/Technician managing the 15 acres of wine grapes and 45 acres of citrus, nut, and deciduous trees crops, including avocados at Cal Poly. Mark retired from Cal Poly after 20 years of service to the university.
During his career Mark has travelled extensively, working wine grape harvests in both Switzerland in the Vaud region and in New Zealand for Kim Crawford and Selak's wineries of Constellation Wines Ltd.
In 2012 Mark started Torch Wine Cellars, producing 350 cases annually and SLO Pacifique, LLC a viticulture consulting company. Currently, with his company SLO Pacifique, LLC, he oversees 2000 acres of wine grapes on the central coast.
Mark brings his global perspective to improving viticulture for clients in vineyards and wineries throughout the Central Coast and California.