DIRECT ENTERPRISES TAPS AG-LAW VETERAN TO LEAD NEW INDEPENDENT ADVISORY BOARD
On an accelerated pathway to new markets and positioned for growth, Direct Enterprises is pleased to announce the recent appointment of industry-renown legal practitioner Joel Cape to chair its independent Board of Advisors. In addition to his involvement with legal and regulatory affairs, Cape will lead charge in the development and execution of Direct Enterprises’ board of advisors. The independent board will provide unbiased strategic direction for the 30-year-old custom seed treatment solutions company.
“As Direct Enterprises continues to evolve, it is important to evaluate opportunities, manage our capabilities and assets, and move forward with strategic purpose,” said Bill Haubner, President and Founder of Direct Enterprises. “Joel has been an active part of our team for several years, handling regulatory affairs and offering direction for varying projects and assignments. He knows our business and he knows agriculture.”
Joel grew up on a cattle and hay operation in northeastern Oklahoma, instilling in him an honorable work ethic and a firsthand understanding of the risks, relationships, and realities that define life in agriculture. That foundation has shaped the way he practices law.
He holds both a J.D. and an LL.M. in Agricultural Law from the University of Arkansas School of Law—one of the country’s leading programs for agricultural legal education—and has practiced exclusively in this space since 1998. Before founding Cape Law Firm in 2013, Joel spent over a decade at a regional firm in New Orleans as national litigation counsel for a global agricultural biotechnology company, managing intellectual property enforcement across the entire U.S. seed distribution chain, from production through retail.
“I represent the businesses and professionals that feed the world—seed companies, ag-tech innovators, crop protection distributors, and agricultural producers who need counsel that understands their industry as well as the law,” Joel Cape said.
From product development and regulatory clearance, through commercialization and licensing, to enforcement and dispute resolution, Joel’s work spans the full lifecycle of agricultural products. He helps companies protect their intellectual property, structure their licensing and distribution arrangements, navigate federal and state regulatory requirements, and litigate when it comes to that.
“Joel has my sincere respect and the respect of major players in our industry throughout the United States. As Advisory Board Chair, Joel will ensure our company is thoroughly prepared and polished as we navigate a fast-paced, ever-changing environment,” Haubner said. “A major pillar of Joel’s position within our company will be to lead and serve our newly established advisory board. Joel will serve alongside senior industry-veterans from varying sectors of agriculture, providing insight, perspective and guidance necessary to the company’s overall success and sustainability in the marketplace.”