Daniel Conforte
Date of birth: March 17, 1955
Address: Bvar. España 2633, Montevideo, Uruguay, C.P. 11.300
Phones:(work) 598-2-707 1806;
(home) 598-2-604 4064
Fax:598-2-708 8810
E-mail:conforte@.ort.edu.uy;
farminguruguay@adinet.com.uy
CORE COMPETENCES
- agribusiness planning and management
- agribusiness education and research
- public policy and public administration of development programs
- hands-on experience on agriculture and livestock production, and on produce marketing and exports
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1995 -
Universidad ORT
Facultad de Administración y Ciencias Sociales
Associate Professor and Agribusiness Program Academic Coordinator. Developed curricula and coordinated postgraduate degree programs (Diploma and MBA) in Agribusiness. Developed and coordinated a continuos education program in Farm Business Management. Developed and coordinated distance education courses. Developed curricula for an undergraduate degree on Agribusiness Management. Delivered academic seminars on teaching by the case method. Lecturer on agribusiness marketing and strategy courses. Supervision of final thesis (business plans)
2001 -
Kansas State University; Master in Agribusiness Distance Education Program
Invited Lecturer; developed and lectured a distance course - "Comparative Food and Agriculture Systems"; the course was offered to distance learning KSU postgraduate students together with lecturers from South-East Asia, Russia and European Union
1999 -
Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Lecturer on case study research methodology and teaching by the case method.
2000
Client: International Development Research Center
Study: Small producers access to dynamic markets for non wood forest products. Conducted a world wide review of literature and case studies. Report published on IDRC website.
1999
Client: Ministry of Industries and Energy (Uruguay)
Study: Competitiveness of the Uruguayan poultry industry.
Coordinated several working sessions with industry leaders. Wrote report with situation analysis and public policy recommendations
1998
Client: Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (Uruguay)
Study: Assessment of garlic and onions export development program in Mendoza, Argentina
Conducted extensive personal interviews with industry leaders and public agencies in Mendoza. Wrote a case study analyzing key success factors, lessons and recommendations for public policy.
1997
Client: International Development Research Center
Study: Quinoa agribusiness system in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru: marketing trends and development constrains.
Traveled extensively through Andean production regions interviewing producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and public agencies. Wrote a report with recommendations for IDRC future development action.
1995-1997
Client: Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries / IFAD
National Program to Support Small Agriculture Producers
Position: Produce Marketing Specialist
1994-
Founder and director of a catering firm
1993-1995
Founder and manager of a produce exporting firm.
Exported sweet onions to USA.
1990-1993
Client: Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries
PENTA Program (Non Traditional Agriculture Export Promotion Program) jointly financed by the World Bank
Organized diverse activities to promote non traditional agriculture exports: marketing studies, overseas study tours; pilot export projects.
Position: Manager
1979-1990
Farm management
Worked extensively as agronomist; managed dairy, livestock and grain agriculture farms in Uruguay
FORMAL EDUCATION
June 1989-July 1990
John F. Kennedy School of Government,
Harvard University;
Degree: Master in Public Administration
Harvard Business School;
Course: Agribusiness Management in a Changing Environment
Course: Relationships Government - Business in Agribusiness
Harvard Law School;
Course: Assessing Multinational Investments in Developing Countries
1974-1979
Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay
Facultad de Agronomía;
Degree: Agronomist
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION
- Conforte D. Case study: La Manuela, engorde intensivo de novillos a capitalización . 2000
- Conforte D. Case study: C&Q, medianerías de arroz . 2000
- Conforte D. Acceso de Pequeños Productores a Mercados Dinámicos de Productos Forestales No Maderables. Paper prepared for IDRC. 2000
- Marshall M, Boland M, Conforte D & Cesar D. A Case Study of Beef Production in Uruguay. 2000
- Azzarini M., Salgado C. y Conforte D. Managing Trust in a New Industry Setting: the case of SUL in the heavy lamb industry; presented at IX IFAMA World Congress, Florence, Italy. 1999
- Pedersen M., Conforte D. Case study: La Cooperativa Lanera de Cerro Moro. Presented at Agriculture Cooperatives Federation Annual Meeting. 1999
- Conforte D. The Changing Nature of Transactions in Uruguayan Rice Industry: supply chain attributes and strategic connotations. Presented at IFAMA's VIII World Congress; Punta del Este, Uruguay, 1998.
- Conforte D. Case study: Desarrollo de Exportaciones de Ajo y Cebolla en Mendoza, Argentina. 1998
- Conforte D. El Sistema Agroindustrial de la Quinoa en Bolivia, Ecuador y Peru: tendencias y restricciones para su desarrollo. Report prepared for IDRC. 1997
OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE
- Israel: Study of dairy industry and extension services, 1983
- Chile: study of timber exports logistics. 1988
- Morocco: study of Morocco's public administration system as academic requisite for the Public Administration Masters program
- Argentina: study of the produce wholesale market, 1991
- Brazil: study of produce marketing systems in Sao Paolo and Porto Alegre markets. 1991
- Brazil: visit to San Francisco Valley's irrigation project and export promotion program (North East of Brazil), 1991
- France: visit to Paris' Produce Market and survey of melon marketing system, 1992
- France: follow up of first Uruguayan melon exports to Paris, 1993.
- USA. Survey of sweet onion markets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida, 1992
- Holland: Study of produce imports logistics in Rotterdam, 1992
- Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Study of quinoa marketing systems, 1997
- New Zealand: visit to Lincoln University, 2000
- U.S.A. Visiting lecturer at Kansas State University, 2001
MEMBERSHIPS AND HONORS
- Was member of the board of the Uruguayan Agronomist Association.
- Was member of the Junta Nacional de la Leche (Uruguayan dairy board)
- Is member of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) and attended congresses at Oxford (1992), Punta del Este (1998), Florence (1999), Chicago (2000)
- Co - chaired the VIII IFAMA World Congress. Punta del Este -Uruguay; 1998
- Is Mason Fellow at Harvard Institute for International Development
- Received a USAID scholarship to study public administration at Harvard University
- Is member of the Editorial Board of Supply Chain Management: an International Journal
LANGUAGES
- Spanish: fluent
- English: fluent
- German: reads and understands; speaks with some difficulty
- Portuguese: reads and understands very well and is able to communicate
- French: reads and understands with some difficulty
- Italian: reads and understands with some difficulty