The ISRC held a leadership reception on December 12, 2025, to thank founding ISRC Director Greg Tylka for his years of service in leading the center and to officially welcome new ISRC Co-Directors Mark Licht and Steve Whitham. 

While Tylka is stepping away from the role of center director, he will continue to be an ISRC faculty research affiliate. He is excited for the opportunity to focus more on his first love, soybean cyst nematode research as Morrill Professor of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State. Tylka helped found the center in 2014 at the direction of leadership from the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Iowa State University to partner with industry and Iowa’s soybean farmers to leverage support and coordination of soybean research and educational activities at Iowa State. In its 11 years of existence, the center has provided more than $3 million in soybean research funding and has funded more than 26 projects, many of which have gone on to secure federal funding or additional funding from the ISA, USB, NCSRP and other commodity organizations. Under Tylka’s leadership, the ISRC has earned a reputation for connecting and facilitating collaborations among researchers at ISU, ISA, industry and other universities. Iowa’s center has been an example for other universities in setting up their own soybean research centers. Tylka has positioned the center well for continued success.

The center’s new Co-Directors plan to take a very similar approach and leadership style to that of Tylka. Mark Licht, agronomy, a row and cover crop specialist with ISU Extension responsibilities and Steve Whitham, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, an expert in molecular plant pathology and virology (think CRISPR/Cas gene editing), offer their complementary expertise and shared vision for the future of the center.

"Greg's leadership to build the ISRC with support from the ISA and the Industry Advisory Council is now a model for others to aspire to. I'm grateful to take the reins with Steve to continue expanding the mission of the ISRC," said Licht.

“I’m looking forward to working with Mark, Jill and Kara to build upon the strong foundation that Greg established in partnership with the ISA and the Industry Advisory Council to support research that addresses emerging and critical issues faced by Iowa soybean farmers,” said Whitham.

The ISRC staff, Research Administrator Jill Cornelis and Communications Specialist Kara Berg would like to give a special shoutout to Greg and let him know this is not goodbye, but rather, see you soon - albeit in a different capacity. They wrote, “We thank you for everything, Greg! You are truly special and we’ll miss working with you on a daily basis but we know you have left us and the center in good hands and have set the center up for a strong future. We are looking forward to working with Mark and Steve, two excellent, forward-thinking researchers. Also, thank you to everyone who helped us in giving Greg a great send-off and in providing a proper introduction and welcome to the new ISRC co-directors.”