Meet the Team

Jim comes from a family farm background in Co Kildare. After leaving school, Jim went to UCD School of Agriculture and achieved a B Agr. Sc (Hons) in 1985. For 13 years Jim worked in a leading Agricultural Merchant as General Manager.

In 1998, Jim joined Forage Systems as Managing Director and continued to grow the business which later became Specialist Nutrition with the development of moist and liquids feeds market. Specialist Nutrition is now the leading supplier of high-quality feeds and supplements to progressive dairy and beef farmers in Ireland and the UK.

Jim is a member of the Agricultural Science Association, Irish Farmers Association and Irish Holsten and Friesian Association.

Samantha Shapess has joined our growing US team as Operations Manager based in Syracuse, NY. While Sam is new to the New York dairy scene, she isn’t new to the New York farm scene, growing up in Phoenix, NY working on her families produce farm. Sam holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration as well as a MBA in Finance, achieving both degrees from SUNY Oswego.