Greg grew up in Alta, Iowa, which he describes as “three counties over and three counties down” from the state’s northwest corner. He participated in all the typical small-town activities from sports and 4-H to “riding beans,” where teenagers would sit on a 30-foot bar mounted on the front of a tractor spot-spraying weeds as it drove through soybean fields.
He earned degrees in Marketing and Finance from Iowa State University and began his career as a marketing representative for John Deere based in Johnston, Iowa.
Christensen was in several roles in marketing in Iowa, Kentucky and Kansas, then moved to Brazil to build a Pricing & Incentives team in Porto Alegre in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. He also held a strategic marketing role that gave him a front-row seat to the full spectrum of Brazilian agriculture - from smaller farms in the south to massive operations in the north and the ability to grow two, three or even four crops a year on the same land in tropical agriculture.
He worked at Deere’s Global Crop Harvesting Product Development Center in Silvis, Ill, where he was part of the team that brought the company’s biggest combine, the X9, to the market. He is now marketing manager for small tractors and high value crops, where he focuses on products serving specialty crops, orchards, vineyards and bedded crops.
After moves around the country and South America, Christensen is now again based in the John Deere Financial building in Johnston, Iowa.
1. Why did you decide to return to Iowa?
When I took my current position, I was based in Lenexa, Kansas, just outside Kansas City. While I really enjoyed living in Kansas City, I found that most of my weekends were spent in Iowa attending family events and sports activities or helping with projects. That meant a lot of weekends driving three hours north on Friday nights and three hours south on Sundays. I started to feel like I was wasting six hours a week on the road—only to jump on a plane during the week or spend my workdays on video calls.
Fortunately, with several John Deere offices in the Des Moines area, I asked if I could relocate back to Iowa for what would be my ninth move. I was fully supported in that decision and didn’t need much of a sales pitch to stay in my current role. I’m now back working in the John Deere Financial building—in the same area where I first started just over 20 years ago.
2. What are some of the most exciting innovations you’re seeing in agriculture?
One of the most exciting technologies is John Deere’s See & Spray™, which is developed right here in Des Moines. It is amazing how far we’ve come from those days when my friends and I spent summers “riding beans” to manage weeds. We could cover a section about 30 feet wide, moving about five miles an hour.
Now, one person in a John Deere machine equipped with See & Spray™ can do the work that used to take five of us to do. They can cover well over 100 feet at a time, travel up to 15 miles per hour, and spray individual weeds with far greater accuracy than I ever had with my little spray wand bouncing across a soybean field.
It is especially exciting that a lot of our cutting-edge technology comes out of Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group (what I like to call our “tech factory”) in Urbandale, Iowa. The ability to evolve technologies from early testing on farms around Des Moines to widescale application across agriculture, construction, turf and landscaping is a tremendous advantage to an Iowa location. We’re taking technology that may have started in an Iowa cornfield and bringing its benefits to people who help feed, shelter, and clothe the world.
3. How are the farmers you work with using technology to be more sustainable and productive?
In my role working with High Value Crops, including fruit and nut orchards, vineyards, and a wide range of bedded crops, I get to see firsthand how farmers are using technology to tackle challenges that are surprisingly similar to those faced by farmers in Iowa. While the crops and farming methods may differ, the core issues — input costs, labor shortages, regulatory pressure, data management, and logistics — are pretty universal.
We’re helping growers address these challenges by leveraging technology that’s been evolving for decades. Tools like JDLink™ modems help monitor equipment performance and location, while StarFire™ receivers provide precise positioning in the field. G5 Displays—essentially tablets in the cab—enable job automation and ensure tasks are executed exactly as intended. And with the John Deere Operations Center, farmers can manage data across their entire operation.
For orchards and vineyards, spraying is a major part of protecting crops from pests, disease, and environmental stress. We’ve introduced technology that can be added to existing equipment to reduce applied product and water usage by up to 70% on average. That means lower input costs, less water usage, fewer refills, and more acres covered in less time—which not only improves farmer profitability and efficiency but also supports more sustainable farming practices.
4. What advice do you have for someone considering a move or return to Iowa?
What stands out to me about Iowa is the opportunity to live local and work global. I get to collaborate with incredibly talented people in the state, across the country and around the world. It’s a unique blend of small-town roots and global reach. I also think it’s plain cool to see incredible equipment and technology in the fields on the drive home from work—and to realize that someone I probably know played a big part in designing, building or supporting it.
I know the perception of some people outside of the state is that Iowa is a corn-filled flyover state, but for those who really know, Iowa is a special place. It’s a state you can make feel as big or as small as you want … or even both at the same time. Whether you are looking for a tight-knit community or a wide-open opportunity, Iowa gives you the space to define your own experience.
My only advice? Bring a jacket and some shorts, because you might just need both – in the same day.
5. Please share three recommendations of things to do or places to go in Iowa.
Iowa and Des Moines specifically have had quite the glow up from when I last lived here, so I’m still learning what’s new and looking for recommendations as well. But, here are a few of my favorites:
Fall Football Games. Personally, nothing beats heading to Ames or Iowa City in the fall for a football game. It’s a great way to catch up and connect with people from all over the state. And beyond the big stadiums, there’s some very high-level competition at places like Grand View University and Drake University—across both men’s and women’s programs in all sports. You’ll catch me at the Drake football games this fall as my brother-in-law takes over as the head football coach after winning a national championship at Grand View University last year.
Des Moines Civic Center. I didn’t expect to be as big a fan as I am, but the Civic Center brings in some incredibly talented performers. From musicals to concerts and touring shows, it’s a cultural gem right in the heart of Iowa.
The Freedom Rock Tour. All 99 counties in Iowa now have their own personalized Freedom Rock, each one hand-painted with a mural that honors America’s veterans and tells a local story. Pair this with stops at local breweries or small-town restaurants, and it’s a great way to explore everything Iowa has to offer.
Published September 2025