Lebanon Seaboard Corporation CEO wins RISE’s highest honor

Kathy Bishop, president and CEO of Lebanon Seaboard Corporation, has been awarded the 2025 E. Allen James Leadership Award by RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) at the organization’s annual meeting in August. 

The award is RISE’s highest honor, celebrating individuals whose leadership and volunteer service reflect the vision and dedication of the association’s first president, E. Allen James. 

“Kathy Bishop has been a top contributor to our industry for decades,” said Neil Cleveland, chairman of RISE, during the award presentation. “Her leadership has shaped everything from fertilizer committee work to defining biostimulants at the federal level. She embodies clarity, integrity and an ‘industry first/members first’ mindset that has strengthened RISE and the broader specialty pesticide and fertilizer community.” 

Bishop joined Lebanon Seaboard in 1987 and became CEO in 1995. She has guided the company through strategic planning and acquisitions while serving the industry through leadership roles on the RISE Governing Board, the joint RISE–CropLife America Emerging Chemistry Issues Task Force and multiple policy initiatives. 

RISE is the national trade association representing manufacturers, formulators, distributors and other leaders in the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry. RISE advocates for science-based policies that support innovation and ensure access to tools that protect public health, food, property and green spaces, according to the association.