Heather Hunt Archbold, Ohio Dairy Business Development Specialist Agri-Nutrition Consulting
What education are you bringing with you to this position?
Both of my degrees are in animal science from the University of Guelph.
Please describe your agricultural background.
I was raised on a dairy farm in southwest Ontario. I was very active in 4-H and completed 22 clubs focusing on dairy production and dairy judging. I have always had a fondness for calves, so a lot of my time has been spent on starting calves in a way that makes them the best dairy cows they can be.
What territory will you cover?
Primarily my territory is Ohio, Michigan and Indiana but seeing as I am always connected to a computer, iPad or cell phone, I can be virtually anywhere. My twitter handle is @ANCDairySpecial and I can be found there anytime.
What are your new responsibilities?
Quite simply my responsibilities revolve around growing the ANC business. As dairy business development specialist, I am looking for people and partners to represent our products and services to dairy producers.
In my role as dairy technical specialist, I support ANC independent consultants with technical product and on-farm support.
What previous positions have you held?
My journey to this position has been diverse. I started in quality assurance for a premix manufacturer, which led me to find my passion for feeding dairy cattle. My gregarious personality suits the selling profession and I have worked in feed and feed ingredient sales, as well as in ration formulation and technical support.
Who has made the biggest impact on your career?
Andy Lindsay, my sales manager at BASF. He encouraged me to reach outside my comfort zone to find that place where the magic happens. He saw something in me that I never saw before.
When the opportunity came to move to a career better suited to my goals, he was the shining example of grace and support.
How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
The last thing I am is an expert but I have an eye for seeing beyond the obvious to underlying problems and hidden opportunities. Too often we miss the forest for the trees.
Since I am not on any individual farm every day, I see things differently. As I mentioned before, my passion for calves fits nicely on the farm too. Many herd consultants come in to help with the lactating animals and the calves get overlooked. That’s where I fit in.
Why did you choose this company?
I would love to say I chose this company, but ANC found me. They are a great group of people, passionate for their consultants and producers and I am honored to be part of their team.
What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
My goal is to start a group of large herd consultants within the ANC team of independent consultants. The company's technical and ration teams are top-notch and we offer great value to consultants that want to get the most out of their herds by utilizing nutrition modeling, innovative products and on-farm troubleshooting.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Always an interesting question. I’ve experienced many shakeups in my plans to spend too much time defining an answer to this question. What I know for certain is that I will be working hard to feed the creatures and the people of this planet – reflecting the light that is shone upon me and offering hope to those in need. PD
