Field Agent CEO and cofounder steps down, will remain as chairman

Rick West, CEO and cofounder of Field Agent, announced Tuesday (June 18) he is stepping down from his day-to-day role, but will continue as board chairman and consultant for the Fayetteville-based technology company.

Ty Kasperbauer, resident in waiting at Field Agent’s financial partner Kansas City, Mo.-based Five Elms Capital, will take over as CEO. Kasperbauer is based in Denver and will remain there, the company said.

West told Talk Business & Politics the past 14 years have a whirlwind. He and Henry Ho cofounded Field Agent in 2010 because the then-new location feature on Apple’s iPhone made it possible for their vision. The concept was to use crowd sourcing to help suppliers and retailers better understand what was happening at the shelf in thousands of U.S. stores.

As CEO, West oversaw four acquisitions that required a lot of travel. He said he’s looking forward to taking some time off at home. West is credited with helping to grow Field Agent, expanding services and technology has improved over the past decade. The company has clients in eight countries with more than 3 million agents worldwide.

“Leading Field Agent has been a remarkable journey, and as Chairman, I look forward to this next season for our company,” said West. “I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and am confident in Ty’s ability to lead Field Agent into its next phase of growth and innovation.”

Field Agent is privately held, so the company does not report earnings, but West and Ho said in 2019 the firm was growing revenue at a 50% clip. West said this week the firm remains on a steady growth trajectory with clients including Fortune 500 brands like Tyson Foods, Coca-Cola and KraftHeinz, and hundreds of smaller niche brands.

Kasperbauer has more than 15 years of experience as a technology executive. According to the press release, he has expertise in scaling and transforming companies across various sectors, including software as a service, consumer internet, and tech-enabled services. Before joining Field Agent, he was executive general manager of Solutions Groups at EverCommerce, where he managed the strategy and integration of 25 acquired subsidiaries and played a role in facilitating EverCommerce’s IPO in 2021.

“I am honored to join Field Agent at such a pivotal moment,” said Kasperbauer. “Field Agent’s innovative data solutions provide unmatched insights and value to our clients. I look forward to building on Rick’s legacy and driving Field Agent to new heights.”