6
Almond Facts
JULY | AUGUST 2017
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
President’s Corner
Mark Jansen
President and CEO
Inspiration Comes to Us in Different Ways
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more,
do more and become more, you are a leader.”
-John Quincy Adams
My role as CEO of
Blue Diamond
is the best job
in the world. Working with our grower-owners,
customers and employees gives me exposure to
diverse personal and professional stories, which
serve as an inspiration and reaffirmation of the
great sense of purpose we have at
Blue Diamond
.
Every day I wake up excited to go to work!
This magazine has focused primarily on the business
side of the cooperative. I think it’s time to share with
readers more about what
Blue Diamond
members and
employees are doing on our campuses, farms and local
communities that inspire others. With over 1,500
employees and 3,000 farm families, we are blessed with
many great stories of leadership.
Board of Directors member Kent Stenderup recently
traveled to Nepal with his son, John. Both avid hikers,
this father son duo has a great story to share. John wrote,
“The best part of the climb was that every step my dad
took was a personal record to his highest altitude ever!”
and that, “I couldn’t help but reflect on the inspiration
that has led him and I to this adventure of a lifetime.”
John went on to successfully summit Mount Everest and
found himself literally on top of the world. His journey is
featured in this issue.
Growers are also inspiring employees through their stories
on the farm. This summer we held our first Grower Panel
and Grower Connection Days. The Grower Panel brought
four of our grower-owners to the Sacramento campus to
share their perspectives on being an almond farmer and
co-op member in front of an employee audience. Grower
Connection Days sent employees to Gerry and Elaine
Rominger’s farm for a deeper understanding of
Blue
Diamond’s
mission and the work of our grower owners.
Grower Panel participant Mike Bogetti perfectly summed
up the
Blue Diamond
family relationship saying, “Your
success is our success. Our future is in your hands.” This
sense of responsibility inspires us all as we move forward to
achieving our goals.
These examples remind us that
Blue Diamond
is much
more than an almond marketer and processor. We have an
integrated, cohesive purpose aligning growers, employees,
customers and communities. From my standpoint, this is
what makes
Blue Diamond Growers
unique.
Our vision, to deliver the benefits of almonds to the world,
is being accomplished by so many people in so many ways.
I look forward to hearing and sharing more great stories
with you in future issues of
Almond Facts
. May they inspire
you as they do me.
