Mary Holz-Clause

Mary Holz-Clause, Ph.D., is the Chancellor of the University of Minnesota (UM) Crookston since 2017 and Acting Executive Chancellor for both UM Crookston and Morris since 2021. Her career spans leadership roles at three major land-grant universities: University of Connecticut (Vice President for Economic Development), Iowa State University (Associate Vice President of Extension and Outreach), and Cal Poly Pomona (Dean of Agriculture). She specializes in integrating curricula, outreach, and funding to address educational, economic, and rural development needs.

• Education: B.S. in Agricultural Business, MPA, Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Technology Transfer from Iowa State University

Her research focuses on agricultural innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer, with emphasis on value-added agriculture and economic development. She pioneered the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) and secured significant funding for tech parks, SBDCs, and sustainability initiatives.

As a tenured professor, she has contributed to academic literature but is not listed with specific publications in the provided text. Her leadership roles have generated over $40 million in grants and expanded diversity, fundraising, and global partnerships.

Currently, she oversees institutional accreditation reaffirmation, sustainability efforts (e.g., the Allen & Freda Pedersen Community Garden), and the expansion of online and experiential education programs. She resides in Minnesota with her retired husband, Reg Clause, and their three daughters working in agriculture and engineering.