James "Jim" Hagedorn was named president and chief operating officer of Scotts Miracle-Gro in April 2000 and chairman of the board of directors

Board of directors

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...

 and chief executive officer

Chief executive officer

A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...

 in January 2003. Prior to April 2000, he was in charge of the company's North American business.

Education and military

Hagedorn is a graduate of the Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...

 Advanced Management Program and holds a degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university in the US specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. Called "The Harvard of the Sky" by Time Magazine in 1979, Embry-Riddle has a history dating back to...

. He is co-chairman of the National Fund for the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, an associate trustee of the North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, New York

Manhasset, New York

Manhasset is a hamlet and neighborhood in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 8,080....

 and chairman of the board for the Farms for City Kids Foundation, Inc. in Reading, Vermont

Reading, Vermont

Reading is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 707 at the 2000 census.-History:On August 30, 1654, after being captured by Abenakis at Fort at Number 4, Charlestown, New Hampshire and being forced marched to Montreal, Susannah Willard Johnson gave birth to a...

. Hagedorn also served in the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 for seven years as a captain and an F-16 fighter pilot.

Joining Scotts Miracle-Gro

Hagedorn joined Scotts Miracle-Gro in 1995 as senior vice president of Consumer Gardens Group, when the company merged with Stern's Miracle-Gro Products, Inc. At Miracle-Gro, he had served as executive vice president and was a major architect of Miracle-Gro's success both in the US and in the UK. James is the son of Horace Hagedorn, founder of Miracle-Gro. Following the merger, Hagedorn was instrumental in the effective integration of the two businesses.

An avid pilot, Hagedorn was told by the board of directors he would have to stop flying before taking his position over safety concerns. Hagedorn chose to ignore the board's wishes and continues to pilot small aircraft.

Criticism

Because Scotts Miracle-gro is the largest of the consumer lawn and garden companies, some critics have chosen Hagedorn as the focus of their drive to remove phosphorus and pesticides from consumer use. In an article published by Kepper and Barnes Press in 2007, Hagedorn is cited as having been the "lead advocate" of company practices that include endangering the welfare of several monitored species of reptiles. Reportedly, the area in question, which is less than fifty miles from Miracle-Gro's Ohio headquarters, has seen an alarming decline in region-specific wildlife and a sharp increase in fatal illnesses in humans. Very few of these criticisms have been backed by scientific research and specific studies.

James Hagedorn Aviation Complex

Recently, Hagedorn was recognized by Embry-Riddle

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university in the US specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. Called "The Harvard of the Sky" by Time Magazine in 1979, Embry-Riddle has a history dating back to...

 for the contributions he has made to his alma mater in an announcement that the Aviation Complex, upon completion, would bear his name. He participated in its groundbreaking March 27, 2008.