Aaron T. Jeffries 2024
Aaron T. Jeffries was born/raised in St. Louis, Missouri to Harold and Sylvia Jeffries and was educated in the St. Louis Public School System. In high school, he played basketball and participated in Upward Bound through St. Louis University. Aaron was a star high school basketball player and was awarded an athletic scholarship in college after graduation (May 1992).
After high school, Aaron attended University of Minnesota then St. Louis Community College playing basketball. In 1994, Aaron was nominated and awarded 1st team Junior College All American.
Aaron matriculated at several colleges before transferring to Miles College to play basketball in August 1995. During Aaron’s playing days at Miles College, he averaged 21.9 points and 10.2 assists per game. He is the only player in Miles College history to average a double-double in points per game and assists per game. Aaron was 1st team All SIAC for two consecutive years and was a 2nd team Division 2 All American.
While at Miles College, Aaron pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in April 1996 while still playing basketball and maintaining a 3.7 grade point average. He graduated Miles College in May 1998 and matriculated to Alabama A&M University in August 1998 for his master’s degree (Plant Molecular Genetics) and to Iowa State University in January 2002 for his Ph.D. (Crop Production and Physiology). While matriculating in graduate school at Alabama A&M University and Iowa State University, Aaron was involved in Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANNRS). In 2005, Aaron was voted a Regional Vice-President and in 2006 and 2007, he became the National Graduate Student President of MANRRS.
In 2008, Aaron started working for Bayer Crop Science as a Regulatory Scientist in Durham, North Carolina. As a Regulatory Scientist in Seeds and Trait Safety, he was responsible for developing and implementing study plans for phenotypic and agronomic evaluations and environmental
safety studies with biotechnology traits in crops compared to conventional control varieties under field conditions throughout North and South America. Due to industry realignment, Aaron along with his colleagues were transferred to BASF in 2018. At BASF, he maintained his previous role
and worked collaboratively with the Regulatory Affairs team to ensure agreement on study design, details, quality expectations and delivery timelines to support regulatory submissions in key import countries. In 2022, Aaron transitioned to Syngenta as a Technical Expert in Crop Protection (North America – Exposure Science) in Greensboro, North Carolina. In this position, Aaron works closely with Regulatory and Product Development teams to support new active ingredient registrations, new uses of existing products, re-registration activities, and development of import tolerances. In November 2010, Aaron took the oath to become a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve as an Environmental Science Officer. He was deployed for a year in a combat zone in 2015 and ended his career as a Captain in 2020.
Outside of work, Aaron has been a travel ball (AAU) coach since 2016 along with working with the local Boy Scout group at his church (First Calvary Baptist Church – Durham, NC). He is a board member (since 2019) for the West End Community Center in Durham, NC and past board
member of Durham Alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Aaron’s AAU team has won 4 National Championships (5th grade, 6th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade) in the National Travel Ball Association (NTBA). His players are now in the 10th grade and 10 players are getting recruited by Division 1 and 2 schools. He is known throughout the State of
North Carolina as the best Class of 2026 AAU basketball coach.
In 2023, Aaron was a Miles College “50” under “50” honoree. He was one of 50 Miles College graduates under the age of 50 who was honored for his academic and professional achievements.
Aaron has a passion for traveling and has visited five out of the seven continents. Most recently, he visited South Africa (Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town) in January/February 2024 and Cartagena, Colombia in March 2024. Because of his love for travel, Aaron created/started Jeffries
Travel Adventures. Aaron is known throughout the travel industry as a bespoke travel curator with incredible global connections and insider knowledge resulting in a trip tailored to his clients’ desires.
After high school, Aaron attended University of Minnesota then St. Louis Community College playing basketball. In 1994, Aaron was nominated and awarded 1st team Junior College All American.
Aaron matriculated at several colleges before transferring to Miles College to play basketball in August 1995. During Aaron’s playing days at Miles College, he averaged 21.9 points and 10.2 assists per game. He is the only player in Miles College history to average a double-double in points per game and assists per game. Aaron was 1st team All SIAC for two consecutive years and was a 2nd team Division 2 All American.
While at Miles College, Aaron pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in April 1996 while still playing basketball and maintaining a 3.7 grade point average. He graduated Miles College in May 1998 and matriculated to Alabama A&M University in August 1998 for his master’s degree (Plant Molecular Genetics) and to Iowa State University in January 2002 for his Ph.D. (Crop Production and Physiology). While matriculating in graduate school at Alabama A&M University and Iowa State University, Aaron was involved in Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANNRS). In 2005, Aaron was voted a Regional Vice-President and in 2006 and 2007, he became the National Graduate Student President of MANRRS.
In 2008, Aaron started working for Bayer Crop Science as a Regulatory Scientist in Durham, North Carolina. As a Regulatory Scientist in Seeds and Trait Safety, he was responsible for developing and implementing study plans for phenotypic and agronomic evaluations and environmental
safety studies with biotechnology traits in crops compared to conventional control varieties under field conditions throughout North and South America. Due to industry realignment, Aaron along with his colleagues were transferred to BASF in 2018. At BASF, he maintained his previous role
and worked collaboratively with the Regulatory Affairs team to ensure agreement on study design, details, quality expectations and delivery timelines to support regulatory submissions in key import countries. In 2022, Aaron transitioned to Syngenta as a Technical Expert in Crop Protection (North America – Exposure Science) in Greensboro, North Carolina. In this position, Aaron works closely with Regulatory and Product Development teams to support new active ingredient registrations, new uses of existing products, re-registration activities, and development of import tolerances. In November 2010, Aaron took the oath to become a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve as an Environmental Science Officer. He was deployed for a year in a combat zone in 2015 and ended his career as a Captain in 2020.
Outside of work, Aaron has been a travel ball (AAU) coach since 2016 along with working with the local Boy Scout group at his church (First Calvary Baptist Church – Durham, NC). He is a board member (since 2019) for the West End Community Center in Durham, NC and past board
member of Durham Alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Aaron’s AAU team has won 4 National Championships (5th grade, 6th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade) in the National Travel Ball Association (NTBA). His players are now in the 10th grade and 10 players are getting recruited by Division 1 and 2 schools. He is known throughout the State of
North Carolina as the best Class of 2026 AAU basketball coach.
In 2023, Aaron was a Miles College “50” under “50” honoree. He was one of 50 Miles College graduates under the age of 50 who was honored for his academic and professional achievements.
Aaron has a passion for traveling and has visited five out of the seven continents. Most recently, he visited South Africa (Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town) in January/February 2024 and Cartagena, Colombia in March 2024. Because of his love for travel, Aaron created/started Jeffries
Travel Adventures. Aaron is known throughout the travel industry as a bespoke travel curator with incredible global connections and insider knowledge resulting in a trip tailored to his clients’ desires.