Born and raised on a cow/calf and dryland farm operation, SE Colorado Ty knew that he would work in the agriculture industry in one way or another. What he didn't know at that time was how his experiences would lead him to become a service-focused entrepreneur in the ag industry.  

Upon graduating from high school, Ty earned a degree in Soil and Crop Science from Colorado State University. Ty also received a Master in Agribusiness from Kansas State University to perfect his potential to serve the Ag community.

Ty went on to invest 8 years working as both a fertilizer plant manager and precision ag lead in Ag retail. Little did he know how this experience would serve him as an entrepreneur one day. Desiring to increase his knowledge further, Ty went on to invest 2 years as a Field Agronomist with DuPont Pioneer. After that experience, he knew it was time to fulfill his dream as an entrepreneur.

With his wife, Angela, and their 3 children planted firmly in Axtell NE, Ty launched Upward Ag Systems LLC, an agronomically driven precision ag company in the summer of 2014. By the fall of 2015, the business expanded to include custom strip-tilling, which has since become the primary service offering of Upward Ag Systems. 

Continuing to expand their entrepreneurial aspirations, Ty and Angie, when on to found Looma LLC in the early winter of 2018. With Looma, they took on a dealership with Environmental Tillage Systems in alignment with a specialty steel fabrication business. 

Since Ty and Angie care deeply about the American farm producer, they also co-found AgPlanIt LLC with Kylen and Rebecca Hunt. AgPlanIt has one core objective. To equip producers with efficiency improvements and products that increase profits. They're beginning this journey of growing producer profits by partnering with Meristem Crop Performance. An organization focused on developing high-quality crop input products that create the most efficient direct-to-farm experience in US agriculture. A mission that directly aligns with AgPlanIt. 

When Ty isn't working on a new venture, you'll find him serving as a member of the Keene Evangelical Free Church. If you don't see him there, you may find him at the Axtell Fire and Rescue Department, where he serves as Assistant Unit Captain.

The mid-1980s represented a time of challenge and heartache for many farmers and ranchers. Yet during these times, Kylen watched his Grandfather, a small farmer in central Nebraska, flourish! Kylen observed him calculate risk, take action, and win! The real value in all this, though, was watching his Grandfather help other farmers and ranchers be successful in those tough times!

This created an entrepreneurial desire in Kylen. He knew that the best way to serve others was to focus on building businesses that focused on serving and leading others through hard times or through times of great opportunity. 

In 2001 while operating a local farm service business and working alongside local farmers, Kylen became intrigued by auto steer and variable rate technology. It so fascinated him that he sold his business and transitioned into an employee for a local cooperative as a Precision Ag Operator. 

By the mid-2000s, Kylen began to see several opportunities developing within the data analytics arena. In fact, he began focusing a considerable amount of time on the subject as he knew it would become extremely valuable in the future. Through personal research and study, Kylen learned that 87% of the time, water management was the cause of yield variability, crop production limitations, and, most importantly, consistent profit management. This caused Kylen to increase his passion for data interpretation on the irrigated acre.

Precision water management landed Kylen at CropMetrics in 2011, where he focused on two things. Data interpretation and the development of entrepreneurs to provide water management programs for producers. 

Kylen knew that to lead a national organization, he would need to improve his leadership and entrepreneurial capabilities. To grow in these 2 areas, he joined The John Maxwell Team in 2015. Today as an Executive Director with The John Maxwell Team, he is a DISC Certified Personality and Behavioral Consultant, a certified speaker, trainer, and business coach with the John Maxwell Team. In his "spare time," Kylen engages in leadership, public speaking, and business training events, where he challenges individuals to seek truth, gain wisdom, and serve others. A formula he has found to be very successful in both his personal and business life.  

Kylen and his wife Rebecca live in Omaha and are the Co-Owner of four startup businesses. They travel together when possible and look forward to investing time in their two children and three grandchildren.