On November 22, 2000 one of the Delta's and one of Mississippi's most
admired businessmen, former Delta and Pine Land Company CEO, Roger Malkin,
died at his home in Scott after a two year illness. He was 69.
A native of Brooklyn, NY, the real estate business brought Malkin to the
South in the early 70's to oversee an investment in Memphis. During those
trips to Memphis, Malkin stumbled across the Federal Compress and Warehouse
Company and in one of the country's earliest leveraged buyouts, he purchased
the company. The company owned commercial warehouse space across the South
and Southwest. Through this venture, Malkin began to learn about the ag
industry, and in 1978 he led a group of investors and purchased Delta and
Pine Land Company in Scott­a producer and marketer of cotton seeds.
Under Malkin's direction, D&PL began to develop better seed and technology
for the cotton farmer. Malkin shifted D&PL from a production farming
operation to a major research force, creating the world's leading cotton
planting seed company. During his tenure, D&PL introduced early maturing
cotton varieties (which have helped reduce susceptibility to insects and
allowed farmers to harvest their crops before harsh weather), as well as
transgenic varieties.
"In the early 1980's, Roger had his eye on the future and the possible
contributions biotechnology could have for agriculture," says Murray
Robinson, D&PL chief executive officer and vice chairman. "The years that
followed were exciting as we moved throughout the exploratory phases to
research and development and, ultimately into commercialization. This
technology has revolutionized cotton production in terms of pest management
and enhanced profitability."
D&PL was first publicly traded on the NASDAQ in 1993 and moved to the New
York Stock Exchange in 1995. Delta & Pine Land remains the only NYSE traded
public company headquartered in the Mississippi Delta.
Although raised in New York, Malkin loved the Mississippi Delta, making it
his home. He was an ardent supporter of the arts and educational programs
serving on many boards in many capacities. In 1999, Malkin was recognized by
the Delta Business Journal at the DBJ's annual Profiles In Leadership
Awards. After receiving his award, Malkin addressed the audience saying, "My
mother always taught us that by the end of our lives, we should all have
contributed more to this world than we have taken." True to his comments,
Malkin achieved this and was committed to the Mississippi Delta and the
agricultural industry leaving a positive impact on both.