KUTZTOWN, Pa. — When he was 13-years-old, Jeff Tkach was overweight, and suffered from severe allergies and asthma.
But then the Salisbury Township teen found a resource that changed everything.
- Rodale Institute named Jeff Tkach as the nonprofit's new CEO
- Tkach, a Lehigh Valley native, has decades-long ties to the nonprofit
- As CEO, Tkach's goal is to continue Rodale's mission to spread organic farming research and education
“I came across a content platform called Men's Health and read it, consumed it and did everything it told me to do,” Tkach said during a phone interview. “I had literally healed myself from some chronic illnesses by changing my diet and my lifestyle.”
Tkach, 43, of Lower Macungie Township, didn’t realize it then, but the platform he so revered and treasured as a teen would be part of his career for more than two decades — and he’d end up leading the nonprofit arm of the magazine's publisher.
Last week, Rodale Institute officials announced Tkach will become the nonprofit’s next CEO. Tkach is slated to begin leading the Berks County-based organization, which aims to grow the regenerative organic agriculture movement through research, farmer training and education, starting April 21. As he takes on the new role, Tkach said Rodale’s work is needed now more than ever, and he’s excited to take part in leading a global agricultural transformation.
“I've been following the thread of the mission of Rodale for most of my life. And you can say that I've been on a multi-decade journey that's brought me to this arrival.”Jeff Tkach, new CEO of Rodale Institute
“I've been following the thread of the mission of Rodale for most of my life,” Tkach said. “And you can say that I've been on a multi-decade journey that's brought me to this arrival.”
Demand for organic food continues to grow. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t have official statistics on nation-wide sales of organic food, agency officials estimate sales have nearly doubled in the past decade, from $26.9 billion in 2010 to $52.0 billion in 2021, citing a report from the Nutrition Business Journal.
Maya Rodale and Roberta Lang, co-chairs of Rodale’s board, said Tkach “has the vision, experience and passion necessary to lead the team and the organization into the future.”
The nonprofit’s former CEO, Jeff Moyer, said he “couldn’t be more confident” in Tkach.
“Tkach has a long history of supporting the vision of Rodale Institute and the power of our mission to positively impact the lives of people and our planet,” Moyer said. “Tkach is a truly passionate leader and is committed to the ways Rodale Institute’s world-renowned research and education on regenerative organic agriculture will improve the world.
“The institute has a bright future under Tkach’s leadership.”
Moyer has served as the institute’s CEO since 2019. After Tkach takes over, Moyer will serve as CEO emeritus to support and advise the organization.
Tkach has been part of Rodale since graduating from Kutztown University in 2001, he said.
“I wanted to pursue a career in health, and little did I know that this company, Rodale Publishing, was the company that made the product 'Men's Health' that changed my life,” Tkach said. “By meeting Jeff and hearing him talk about the mission of the Rodale Institute, it did something to me at a very deep level, and so I've been pursuing that mission for a very long time.”
Previous to his appointment to CEO, Tkach served as Rodale’s chief impact officer since 2017, responsible for expanding the nonprofit's global influence and developing core strategies and partnerships. Prior to that, he served as managing director and vice president of Rodale’s Organic Life and Prevention.
“I want to be a connector, a convener and a coalescer for the institute,” Tkach said of his new position. “And so my role is to go out into the world and bring all the necessary stakeholders and partners to the table to begin to map out a way forward for our food and agricultural system.”
A bipartisan organization that has been around for 75 years in research, education and consulting, Tkach said Rodale’s mission is to make a positive impact on the world through better farming practices, and he’s determined to continue working towards that goal.
“My job is really to bring all the stakeholders together around our future in science, and then bring forth education that can really unlock a new way forward for everybody,” he said.
When he’s not working, Tkach said he’s passionate about mountain biking and surfing — “any form of exercise or movement that makes me healthier,” he added. He also likes to spend time visiting farms, gardening and cooking.
“I've really oriented my life around the Rodale values,” Tkach said. “The Rodale values of healthy, active living is what I've lived my entire life and now to be able to couple that with my professional pursuits, is a huge, huge honor.”
