nov-dec-2020

• The recently promoted Vice President of Member Relations, Mel Machado, whose team this year will help growers deliver an additional 100 million pounds of almonds. • Bill Morecraft, Senior Vice President of Global Ingredients, our veteran whose expertise this year will allow his team to confidently sell those additional 100 million pounds. • Dean LaValle, Chief Financial Officer, who pioneered hundreds of millions in tax savings for members and is also the man who never gets tired of saying “I work on behalf of the grower-owners.” • Laura Elkins, Executive Assistant, my first hire and the person who ensures the executive team and board administration is always organized, even through the pandemic. Please join me in showing our appreciation for this world class leadership team! Blue Diamond is indeed fortunate that we have such strong and experienced leadership. Importantly, all of our team members share a deep feeling of responsibility to receive and market your almonds. And we are grateful that you, our grower-owners, show the affection is reciprocal. Especially during the early days of COVID-19. When coming to work as an essential worker was an act of courage. Our frontline workforce was so proud of the heartfelt, encouraging notes from growers. Some of you even sent in recorded messages and our communications team was able to compile them into videos we displayed in the breakroom. I must admit, these also made me emotional. Sharing your appreciation with team members is yet another way that you can serve your co-op. In past meetings, we have suggested that you encourage retailers to stock Blue Diamond products, write favorable product reviews, be a social media champion, participate in lobbying for co-op or ag issues, donate to the PAC or be a leader in sustainability through CASP enrollment. You have responded and the network power of this 3,000-farm family co-op is awesome to behold. Still, I believe our growers are Blue Diamond ’s greatest untapped resource. Imagine the power if everyone is participating. Wasn’t it John F. Kennedy who said, “Ask not what your co-op can do for you, but what you can do for you co-op.” Don’t be shy about contacting your Regional Manager to discuss where you will make an impact. Possibly the most important area of membership service is your Board of Directors. At Blue Diamond , they are extraordinarily committed to learning the business, providing good governance and ensuring management performance. Having spent 10 years leading a co-op and in associations with most of the other large ag co-ops, I believe the quality of the board and their relationship to their CEO is highly predictive to co-op success. At Blue Diamond , our relationship is excellent. I am personally grateful for the partnership with Chairman Dan Cummings and our entire board. Thank you! Each year brings its unique challenges. Blue Diamond clearly sees the big crop of 2020 — a wave of almonds we’re excited to ride! Our 2020 rallying cry is “Rising to the Challenge” as we excellently receive, process and market your record crop. We are prepared for this challenge and it inspires us. It is for this reason, as you have heard for 10 years, that I am confident in declaring, “The Best is Yet to Come!” Mark Jansen President & CEO 9 N O V E M B E R – D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0