Melvin Hendrix, founder of PermaCycle, LLC, is a Stanford University-trained Africanist and development sociologist, and an experienced educator and IT professional. In his career, Mr. Hendrix has served as chief executive officer of an international development consulting firm, where he managed fifty consultants and contracts in agriculture, resource sustainability, entrepreneurship, and water management. A pioneer in the use of local knowledge in economic development, he has contributed to economic and infrastructural development projects in Africa, Asia, the Near East, and the Caribbean for both government and private sector development assistance consulting agencies. A proponent of sustainability, Mr. Hendrix is the author of the Eco-Extensible Horticulture model, a sustainable process of food production with applications in urban and rural environments. He is listed on the United Nations Food and Agriculture “Roster of Experts”.