Grower Organizations Need Grower Involvement to Be Most Effective

With nominations open for new Potatoes USA board members, I want to take this opportunity to share my perspective on what it means to be a board member and encourage more industry members to consider joining. It’s not only an opportunity to give back to our great industry; I’m confident saying that what you give you’ll get back tenfold.

In my opinion, the benefits of being a board member are invaluable. Knowledge is power, and working with colleagues from across the industry gives you a deeper understanding of the global potato business and a better perspective on how your business fits into the whole ecosystem.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about our industry firsthand. We’ve been hearing a lot about changes occurring in the international marketplace for the last couple of years. Having the opportunity to meet with our international representative in Dubai in April and hear what they’re doing to keep the U.S. competitive, while providing them firsthand information and perspective, was incredibly beneficial. Every board member has their own experience and knowledge to share with Potatoes USA staff; our representatives and partners around the country and world do too. Your insight could directly lead to better results for the entire industry.

Here’s what we expect of board members: We expect you to show up. Come to the meetings, be engaged, and participate. We’re stronger and smarter when we have different perspectives in the room. More points of reference give the board the best direction.

Be an active representative of your region. If there are things going on in your area, it’s your job to bring them to the board to discuss. Conditions and challenges are unique to each part of the country; bringing them up with the larger group allows us to generate better solutions. This keeps the whole industry healthy.

Lastly, the communication back to your region is key. Many boards are one-directional – communication goes up to the board and stops. Potatoes USA is much more interactive, and we expect board members to carry forward the two-way flow of information. This is the most living, breathing board I’ve experienced, and that depends on all of us.

Another benefit of being on this board is the opportunity to develop meaningful friendships and connections. Five or six years ago, a past Board Chair and I sat down and discussed what it would mean to serve as chair of this board. We talked about the responsibilities and opportunities of holding this leadership role. Through that conversation, I realized it was something I really wanted to do to give back to the industry. Now, not only do I have the advantage of learning from prior chairs, but many are included in the lifelong friendships I’ve gained through this board.

I encourage you to think about what it would mean to give back to this great industry by serving as a member of the Potatoes USA board of directors. Also consider how you would grow from the experience, both personally and professionally. If you want to fly with eagles, you have to surround yourself with eagles. And I can say confidently that’s where you’d be as a member of this board.