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 Aaron HobbsAs the new president of RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), Aaron Hobbs enters office at a time when the specialty chemical industry and the markets it serves are under significant economic and regulatory stress. These challenges are not lost on Hobbs, who has three very clearly defined goals as he enters office:
Respond to economic challenges – Hobbs says a troubling trend is fee increases from state and federal agencies as well as “an uptick in enforcement.” He says, “We are seeing governments stepping up enforcement and increasing fees and fines to overcome budget shortfalls.”
Keep “science” in discussions – Another regulatory challenge has been what Hobbs calls “the erosion of science.” “When it comes to making decisions about restricting the use of pesticides, science – more and more – is not being a part of those discussions. We need to take a look at new ways to communicate with policymakers so that science is the foundation for their decisions.”
Unification – Hobbs says the importance of working with allied associations – including PLANET – is as important as ever. “We need to stick together,” Hobbs says. “Decisions that are being made might only impact one market today…but it’s foolish if we don’t realize that those same decisions will one day impact (other markets).”
Prior RISE experience
Hobbs joined RISE in March 2009, serving as director of legislative affairs and grassroots outreach. In this role, he identified, tracked and took action on legislative activities that impacted the specialty pesticide industry and grew membership in the RISE grassroots network to help ensure that industry voices were heard in the political process.
“RISE is an advocacy group that fights for active ingredients so that manufacturers can continue producing, and their customers can continue to use the products they need. I was in the weeds working on those issues. It was a great experience,” Hobbs says.
Prior to joining RISE, Hobbs served as director of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (NASC). Hobbs said there are many similarities in the way opponents of NASC and RISE operate.
“The way these groups advocate for issues was the same, in terms of the removal of science from the discussion and the absence of facts from the discussion,” says Hobbs. “They will look for the weak spots in an industry – issues they can have success with – and try to peel them off one at a time.”
Hobbs also served in past positions as an international trade economist and presidential management fellow with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service and resource economist with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in agricultural economics.
Smooth Transition
Hobbs served as the association’s president-elect from June 1 to Aug. 31, 2010, and then replaced Allen James, who retired on Sept. 1. James was RISE’s first president and held that position for 20 years.
During that time, James worked closely with national political leaders to explain the health and safety benefits associated with the responsible use of different pesticide and fertilizer products.
Under James, RISE was actively involved in defending state pre-emption laws, whereby every U.S. municipality and county has the right to use pesticide products to protect their residents when necessary.
During the past two years, Hobbs developed a great amount of respect for James and his commitment to the specialty chemical industry. “Allen came to work every day firmly believing in what he was doing,” Hobbs says.
The decision to promote Hobbs came after “a long and thoughtful process,” says Josh Weeks, past chairman of the RISE Governing Board who led the search committee. “Aaron understands the important work of RISE and brings his considerable energy and creativity to our association and its most critical issues.”
Click here to see a video interview with Hobbs from the 2010 Lawn Care Summit.
The author is managing editor and Internet editor of PCT magazine. He can be reached at bharbison@gie.net.
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