Please describe your agricultural background.
I grew up in a small town in northeast Iowa and have always valued agricultural communities, but this is my first career experience in a true agriculture field.

What education are you bringing with you to this position?
I have a master’s degree in industrial safety management from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. I also earned the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential.

What territory will you cover?
I will work throughout the Vita Plus market area, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.

What are your new responsibilities?
I am responsible for all areas of safety compliance – from written safety procedures to loss prevention initiatives – for the entire Vita Plus family of companies. I’ll work with all Vita Plus facilities in the areas of production, distribution, trucking, construction and maintenance. I will also assist with questions and concerns from the entire staff.

What previous positions have you held?
I’ve worked in several safety positions, mainly in construction. I also have experience in manufacturing, production, nuclear power and equipment installation and modification.

What excites you most about working in your new role?
I enjoy working with a team that understands the importance of a good safety program. All employee owners understand why safety is a company value and want to do the right things to keep everyone injury-free, minimize losses and maximize profit for the company.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
I bring experience from outside the feed industry. I have somewhat of a different view of what is safe or unsafe. I hope to improve on traditional approaches to safety to minimize injuries, equipment damage and lost production.

Why did you choose this company?
I was impressed with Vita Plus’ reputation in the community. I’ve heard comments such as Vita Plus is a “good player” and “a company that doesn’t cut corners, especially in safety.” It’s exactly the type of company I wanted to associate with.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
I want to continually learn and get better. I don’t want to just change safety programs, procedures and policies. I want to always look to improve and grow our focus on safety.