Mitch Eviston, Meristem Crop Performance founder and CEO, was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 National Award winner in the category of Industrials and Energy by Ernst & Young LLP.
“I am truly humbled by this recognition. The whole vision for this company was to help farmers take cost out and produce more bushels for less by reducing tillage, fertilizer and pesticides used to grow food around the world. I’m happy to say that this year over 10 million acres of food was grown with our products,” Eviston said. “I just want to thank God for that, I want to thank my team, and I want to thank all the farmers for changing their production practices with us.”
Eviston was selected as the 2025 east central regional award winner in June. In November in Palm Springs, national winners were announced from the group of 221 Entrepreneur Of The Year regional winners, representing 191 companies across the United States. Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges composed of entrepreneurs and other respected business leaders from across the US. The candidates were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.
The judges of the competition commented: “Mitchell’s remarkable journey transformed adversity into purpose, founding Meristem to support farmers and shape the next stage of sustainable agriculture. Its proprietary, biological innovations preserve soil health, produce higher yields and nurture future generations.”
A native of Wabash, Ind., Eviston graduated from Southwood High School in 1987, where he developed an early passion for agriculture through FFA and soil judging contests under mentors Kurt Campbell and Steve Engelking. He went on to earn his degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in 1991.
After a successful corporate agriculture career, Eviston’s path took a dramatic turn when he battled liver cancer and received a life-saving transplant in 2018. During recovery, he identified inefficiencies in the agricultural supply chain and envisioned a better way to serve farmers. That same year, he launched Meristem Crop Performance, aiming to provide high-quality crop inputs at significantly lower costs by streamlining distribution. His mission from the beginning was to help farmers increase yields while cutting input costs.
Meristem quickly took off under Eviston’s leadership, resonating with farmers seeking more efficient, affordable solutions. His vision, persistence, and deep agricultural expertise have made Meristem a game-changer in crop input innovation. The company’s success and rapid growth reflect Eviston’s ability to anticipate farmer needs and disrupt the traditional ag supply chain. Today, Meristem is helping to lead the charge in biological and next-generation farming solutions. Eviston’s journey — from overcoming personal adversity to building a transformative business — embodies the true spirit of entrepreneurship.
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