Kenneth Rust, Aquatic Consultant
Name: Kenneth Rust
Occupation: Ken performs sales, marketing, and consulting for Kasco Marine, Inc., a manufacturer of water management equipment. He consults with pond owners and water gardeners in his local community.
Place of Residence: After ten years in South Carolina, Ken decided to return to Louisiana and resides with his three daughters in Baton Rouge. He enjoys gardening, composting, and cooking while looking forward to a future move to a more rural setting.
Background and Personal History: Ken lived his first 18 years in Shreveport, Louisiana. His dad is a veterinarian, his family operated a cattle farm, and he enjoyed being a rural kid. Summers were filled with his mom’s large family garden, hayfields, and trips to the cabin on the Little Missouri River. The crystal clear river and the farm ponds began a fascination with aquaculture and aquatic biology. After a BS in Animal Science, Ken returned to LSU for an MS in Aquaculture & Fisheries, with a minor in Food Science. He was fortunate to live in the middle of 350 acres on the Mississippi River just south of LSU. He managed a herd of meat goats on the property during graduate school. After graduation he began a sales consulting track helping people manage water including water gardens, aquaculture farms (large and small), amusement park ponds, retention ponds, and bass lakes. He began a multi-faceted aquatics business in South Carolina in 1997 including pond and lake management, as well as an aquatic plant nursery. Ken has experience in both growing and controlling aquatic plants, erosion control, fish culture, constructing water features, and water quality management. He currently works for Kasco Marine and focuses on design and installation of aeration for ponds and lakes.
Current Projects: On a daily basis, Ken designs aeration systems for ponds & lakes of all sizes. He looks forward to opportunities to speak to the public on the fundamentals of pond management. Ken helps local residents with managing and building water features in Baton Rouge. He assists his church in producing citrus on their property for distribution through the local food bank.
Other Fun Facts: Ken plays the fiddle and that is how he financed a good portion of his college education.