Technical Staff

You don't become the industry's best by chance. Dakota Gold is the result of a dedicated and distinguished research team, headed by Kip Karges, Ph.D.

Kip Karges, Ph.D.

Kip Karges is Director of Research at POET Nutrition. An Oklahoma native, he obtained his B.S. from Oklahoma State University in 1987, his M.S. from University of Nebraska in 1990, and his Ph.D. (after several years of industry experience) from Oklahoma State University in 1999, all in Animal Science – Ruminant Nutrition. At POET he is an active player in the development of a new technology and resource for the feed industry, and the resulting opportunities for markets in the U.S. and abroad. Kip has developed a network of research scientists at 14 major universities to scientifically evaluate and document these concepts. In addition, his work as Director of Technical Service for Ruminants has bolstered POET Nutrition's marketing efforts to national and international clients. Previously, Kip was Assistant Professor of Animal Science at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma and Manager of Bos Technica Feedyard Research Services, research arm of Koers-Turgeon Consulting Services, where he managed 22,000 head of research cattle.

Mark Giesemann, Ph.D.

Dr. Giesemann received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee (Animal Science major). He earned his Master's and Doctoral degrees in Animal Science at the University of Nebraska where he studied with Drs. Ernie Peo and Austin Lewis. Mark's graduate study involved the interaction of nutrition and reproduction of sows. During this time he served as research coordinator for the swine nutrition program and was involved with nutrition research with all phases of production. After school Mark worked for Farmland Industries and was involved in research, technical support and diet formulation responsibilities for Farmland's retail swine feed and their coordinated pork project. Subsequently, Mark began work with the Aurora Cooperative, which helped him become an early adapter in the feeding of distillers grains to pigs. Mark has been formulating diets with DDGS for pigs for more than 12 years. Mark joined POET in 2006 and serves as Technical Services Director. Mark and his wife, Ann, have been married for twenty-three years and have three daughters – Alana, Sophie, and Lilly.

Bob Loar, Ph.D.

Dr. Loar obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from West Virginia University in 2007. He gained experience in feed milling and poultry production during his undergraduate career through work in university poultry facilities and a major U.S. poultry integrator. Bob attended Mississippi State University where he received a Ph.D. in Poultry Nutrition while studying the use of DDGS in commercial poultry diets. His primary work consisted of studying the effects of varying inclusion level of DDGS on broiler performance and gut parameters during different feeding phases. He also studied the effects of DDGS inclusion in layer rations and on feed milling variables. Bob worked as a laboratory research technician and taught poultry science classes while at MSU. Bob joined the POET Nutrition team as a poultry nutritionist in 2010.