As a writer, I have the privilege of meeting many amazing people. If I’m honest, that’s why I do what I do. I’m fascinated by what makes people tick and what drives them in life. I don’t take being able to share what I learn with others for granted.
Over time, if you are so blessed, you get to talk with some of the special ones over and over again. I think that’s why I was so deeply impacted by the passing of one of the special ones: Kara Ungerman. I had just visited with her at the World Pork Expo where she was brimming with excitement and passion for pork and nutrition.
I still remember when I first “met” her over Zoom in 2020 and I thought, wow, the National Pork Board has a gem in this leader. She is going to do amazing things. And she did.
And while I know it’s true, as I’ve listened to others share what they loved most about Kara and the impact she had on their lives, it wasn’t just about the work that we spend so much time writing about. Her impact was felt strongest because of the lives she touched and the way she cared about people.
“For me personally, Kara cared about what was going on in my life as I did hers. Her ability to listen, remember and care about the details was phenomenal. I valued her encouragement and ability to bring out the best in me and others. Kara also accepted that encouragement herself. Kara cared so much about her work at Team Pork that encouragement from me and others meant a lot to her,” shares Charlotte Rommereim, a registered dietitian nutritionist and pork producer from South Dakota.
National Pork Board CEO Bill Even describes the industry’s time with Kara as a time of gifts.
“Kara’s gift of incredible work ethic and passion to help producers flowed honestly from the western Nebraska farm where she was raised. Her gift of a positive, can-do attitude helped us realize that no challenge was insurmountable. Her gift of leading by example on a healthy lifestyle centered on nutrition and fitness showed us we could have our bacon and eat it, too,” Even says.
Maybe even more importantly, she always found a way to celebrate every birthday, holiday, special occasion or event by giving others on her team and in the industry gifts with a warm, personal, thoughtful touch.
“She was always giving us gifts,” Even says. “Now we know the most important gift she gave us was simply just knowing her.”
I wish everyone could have had the gift of knowing Kara. Though my time of knowing Kara was short, she was the kind of person who made every minute count. To honor her, I wanted to share a few things she had to say in our last interview about pork nutrition and why we must continue to forge new paths in this industry.
Q. Why has the National Pork Board made a big investment in human nutrition?
A. “We’re out to subvert people’s ingrained beliefs about pork, because we’ve seen a lot of research that shows when it comes to pork and its nutritional benefits, they really get downplayed. We’ve got a big gap to close when it comes to consumer perceptions, as well as health professionals and even researchers. We’re looking to help close those gaps and celebrate the unique benefits of pork related to human health and nutrition.”
Q. What will it take to make that message stick?
A. “Stickiness is absolutely important. But, we’re not in this alone. I used to work in retail. When you have 60,000 products in a retail store, every product wants to get their message out. Every brand wants a consumer to know the back story. It’s a crowded marketplace. Consumers can only absorb so much information. It takes a multi-pronged effort. That’s why the National Pork Board is investing in three pillars: the story, the science and the endorsement.
How do we get researchers excited to think about pork in new ways and innovative ways? What’s unique about pork that we can celebrate? Let’s look at some of those nutrients such as selenium and choline and their effect on brain cognition, a place that we haven’t explored too much historically. Choline is an underrepresented nutrient we don’t talk a lot about, but it’s super important when it comes to brain development. Domestically, pork provides about 20% of the population’s choline intake. That’s pretty significant.
When we talk about consumer perceptions, and when it comes to ‘what’s good for my family’ among proteins, we get ranked last. We don’t like hearing that as pork producers or people passionate about the pork industry. We know the facts and the nutrition pork provides. But those talking points haven’t been the ones that resonate with consumers. We’re doing a lot of testing and learning to see what messages actually compel people to engage with this content. What compels them to actually purchase or add to their cart? Then, how do you create a behavior change that lasts?
Finally, when it comes to health professionals, how do we create advocates that talk about pork, so it’s not just us? I think that’s something industry has always talked about – how do we get our story out there? How do we inspire health professionals to engage and lean in and want to share our story because they’re equally as passionate? So, it takes a lot of concerted efforts and focus to make all of this come to life.”
Q. What would surprise people about some of the research insights you’ve shared with dietitians?
A. “When you look at consumption domestically, there are actually unintended consequences of not having pork on the plate. About 7% of children and 4% of adults are better off because of pork on the plate. When pork is on the plate, it brings with it nutrients of public health concern, as well as those under consumed food groups like fruits and vegetables. We think of pork as a carrier food, because it brings along with it other nutrients and food groups of concern that are needed for public health. That is always a bit surprising to people because they don’t always think about that. When it comes to messaging, dietitians are surprised by the fact that the tenderloin is leaner than chicken or is just as lean as boneless, skinless chicken breast.”
I left that interview with Kara super excited about the way she and her team were moving the needle on pork nutrition and awareness. Even if you don’t get excited about choline on a typical day, she knew how to get you there. Her enthusiasm and energy were contagious – a gift that made her one of the special ones in our industry.
