Rich Wynia was born and raised on a small family farm in south central South Dakota. His father’s only career advice was “Be anything, but don’t be a farmer.” He attended South Dakota State University and graduated with a BS degree in biology in 1973. He joined the Navy and spent 4 years in Charleston, South Carolina. Rich married Shirley Reaves, his college sweet heart, while in the Navy and they are still married today (40 years). Rich returned to SDSU after leaving the Navy to get a second BS degree in horticulture. Ten years later he had a MS degree in plant pathology and a PhD in agronomy, 3 daughters and a mortgage. He was recruited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be in the Plant Materials Program because of his experiences that involved working with the SDSU forage breeder (Arvid Boe) on warm-season grasses and native forbs. Rich has worked at USDA Plant Materials Centers in North Dakota, Arkansas, and now in Kansas for over 25 years. He have been employed by the federal government for 32 years.