Dig into these question-and-answer stories with five innovative minds in the U.S. pork industry. They share their thoughts on business strategies, lessons learned in their career and look ahead to future trends in the pork industry in our special PORK Perspectives series.
Fredrik Sandberg, Furst-McNess
Of all the lessons Fredrik Sandberg has learned over the past 14 years in his career, probably the most important is to listen more than he speaks.
“It’s a simple thing that most of us know,” says Sandberg, who works primarily in the U.S. and Canada but also Europe. “But it’s really about developing the ability to listen so that we don’t just hear what people say, but that we truly understand what they’re saying.”
The pork industry is incredibly diverse, he points out. To really get down to the “nuts and bolts” of what someone means requires a lot of conversation. Read more.
Megan Bollin, Norbrook
As soon as Megan Bollin was old enough to drive, she drove to her local veterinary clinic to find a job. That proved to be a wise decision.
Growing up in a small Midwestern town, she was very active in 4-H and showed pigs from her great-uncle’s farrow-to-finish farm. Like many, she dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. However, she was fortunate to land a part-time job and learn about the business under the guidance of John Baker, a veterinarian in Boonville, Ind.
“Dr. Baker introduced me to Dr. Lucina Galina who encouraged me to apply for the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) summer swine internship program. I spent three summers gaining a ton of practical experience working with some of the best veterinarians and large integrators across the country,” Bollin says. Read more.
Breanna Lawyer, Elanco
Growing up on a row crow and hog farm in Indiana, Breanna Lawyer of Shirley, Ind., learned early that optimism goes a long way in life. Those lessons she learned working alongside her dad on the farm continue to inspire and challenge her to be her best in her role today as Elanco’s U.S. swine marketing brand manager.
“My dad still runs a nursery barn and despite the market being what it is now, his optimism and desire to get up and do the same thing every day with a positive attitude is something that goes a long way regardless of what you are pursuing in life,” Lawyer says.
She credits her dad who diligently works to feed the world as her mentor in terms of his work ethic and how he treats others with respect, all while having a positive outlook every day. It’s that perspective that so many hog farmers share that recently drew Lawyer back to the commercial hog industry. Read more.
Chad Groves, Seaboard Foods
He’s the guy who always asks for more. Whether it’s more work or more ways to learn, everyone who knows Chad Groves knows he never looks for shortcuts.
That’s likely why Peter Brown, current CEO of Seaboard Foods, sought Groves out 18 months ago to start teaching him what he needs to know to take over the reins as CEO at the end of June.
“My background has been more sales and marketing, commercial-focused, but for the last 18 months, I’ve spent a great deal of time across our live operations teams, with farmer-owners of Triumph foods, and within our plant operations to understand where I was weak in terms of my background,” says Groves, who has been serving as senior vice president of sales and marketing for Seaboard Foods in Overland Park, Kan. Read more.
Kale Causemaker, Innovation Solutions at Kent Nutrition Group
From 4-H and FFA to judging livestock at Black Hawk East to working in the swine industry, Kale Causemaker has been part of the ag industry for as long as he can remember. His experiences as a member of high school and collegiate livestock judging teams were instrumental in his decision to stay involved in agriculture. Currently, Causemaker serves as the senior director of sales for Innovation Solutions at Kent Nutrition Group.
He grew up in a small town in Henry County, Ill., where his family had a small cow calf and row crop operation. “Interestingly enough, Henry County was the self-proclaimed hog capitol of the world at one time,” he says.
Causemaker now resides in Geneseo, Ill., where he has worked in the swine industry for the past 35 years. He started his career in hog procurement and has been with Innovative Solutions for almost four years. Read more.
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