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Women of Influence in the Food Industry
Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops Steering Committee and Coordinating Council member Prior volunteer leadership roles: St. Anne’s Episcopal Church Vestry, Produce for Better Health Foundation board, Associated Community Talent board, American Society of Association Executives Communications Committee.
KATHY MEANS Produce Marketing Association
Years with company: 24 Current position: VP of Gov-
ernment Relations and Public Affairs
Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: Masters in Nonprofit
Management: Regis University B.S. in Journalism: University of Kansas B.A. in Liberal Arts (French): University of Kansas Partnership for Food Safety Education board of directors
The Griffin Report of Food Marketing
February 2014
Mentors and how they have assisted you in your career:
My partner, Rachel Mandes: She embodies the concept, “Doing the right thing, however hard it may be, is still the right thing to do.” My dad, Bill Means: From an early age he would say, “Are you going to be a leader or a follower?” And, as a top IBM salesman, he taught me to sell the sizzle, not the steak. Bob Carey, former PMA president: Bob was a master at working with others, building consensus and getting things done. His motto, “you can accomplish a lot if you don’t care who gets the credit,” became one of mine. An easygoing guy, he also helped me understand that
most problems aren’t as bad as they seem at first.
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? I’m proud to have served an industry for more than 30 years that enriches people’s lives with good taste and good health. And I’m proud to have discovered I have an adaptive spirit – able to roll with the punches and explore new opportunities as they arise.
Most challenging part of your job: I am passionate about what I do, and that causes me to project a lot of drive, which can be off-putting. Taming my energy to be more effective is something I work on continually.
Advice for upcoming younger executives: Discern your
priorities and your passions, and be true to yourself.
Hobbies: Entertaining (with produce, of course!), genealogy, reading, walking, photography.
What are you most proud of in your career achievements?
JAC MOSKALIK Brookshire Grocery Co.
Years with company: 3 Current position: Category Manager Deli/Food Service
Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: Junior Achievement volunteer
Mentors and how they have assisted you in your career: I have worked with so many great individuals in the last 15 years, it’s hard to single out any one mentor. Anybody who can prosper in the
My entire career has been in the food industry. I became a buyer at 18 years old and progressed rather rapidly in the last 15 years. The struggles I encountered as a young female made me a stronger person and I am proud of the reputation I have built in the industry.
Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? There hasn’t been a particular moment or event per se, but in each position I have held in my career, there has been a sequence of events that are intangible that culminated in an unspoken confidence that leadership has in my performance.
Most challenging part of your job: The most challenging part of my job is explaining that change is a necessary catalyst to improvement and growth and no one has ever said that change is easy.
Albertsons
Years with company: 29 Current position: President, Albertsons Division
Intermountain
Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: Bachelor of Science
Colorado State University. Currently a board member of the Idaho Foodbank and the Boise Chamber of Commerce.
Mentors and how they have assisted you in your career:
I am fortunate enough to
www.foodindustrywomen.com I N
food industry by adapting to change in a positive way is a mentor to me.
SUSAN MORRIS
T H E
F O O D
has lived everything he asks his team to do. Shane Dorcheus, currently president of Albertsons Southwest Division: Shane taught me to be even keeled, to listen to the facts and make objective decisions. I learned that emotion clouds reason and that listening, truly listening, will create a more productive outcome for everyone involved. Bob Butler, COO of Albertsons: Bob is an incredible people person. No matter who he meets, a courtesy clerk in a store, a customer, a CEO from a major company — they all feel as if they are the most important person in the world. And when he sees them again, he always remembers their name and usually some personal fact. People love him and want to work hard for him as he shows so much personal respect to everyone he meets!
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? I am most proud of making the decision back in 2010 to leave a big title and a large company behind to follow my heart and to rejoin the Albertsons LLC team.
I N D U S T R Y
Advice for upcoming younger executives:
Advisory. Former Mayor of Lincoln Park, N.J., Vice Chair N.J. Development Authority for Small Business Minorities & Women, Vice President N.J. Conference of Mayors
Never assume you know “everything” about the firm and/or industry that you are a part of, be a student of the business. In the food industry, positions come and go, companies come and go – regardless of circumstance, maintain your integrity, protect your name and do the right thing.
Mentors and how they have assisted you in your career:
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, painting and cycling.
work once again with many of my former mentors. I have known each of them for several years and they taught me more than I could possibly say. Larry Hansen, currently the grocery sales manager at Albertsons Intermountain Division: Larry supported me in ways as a young woman in the business that I didn’t fully understand until later in life. He took me under his wing and taught me so much about the business.He empowered me to make decisions (large ones!) and held me accountable for the results. He gave me confidence by allowing me autonomy even when I was learning. And behind the scenes he got my back by making sure that the people I was dealing with knew that the buck stopped with me. Wayne Denningham, currently president of Albertsons Southern California Division: Wayne is one of the most passionate leaders I have ever worked for! He leads with energy, asks a great deal of his people, but that works as he was so successful in his own career that his high expectations come with credibility because he
LORELEI N. MOTTESE
Wakefern Food Corp. Years with company: 13 Current position: Director
Government Relations
Education, degrees and professional/volunteer organizations: B.A. William Paterson University, M.A. Fairleigh Dickinson University. Board member, NYFIA & DFIC State Food Associations. Chair of NGA, NYFIA & CFA GR Committees. Member, N.J. Child Labor Law
I am blessed to have had many. My mother was my first mentor. She was a strong believer in fending for yourself and taking responsibility for your actions. These have been guiding principles throughout my career. My most recent mentor at Wakefern is Natan Tabak, Sr. Vice President. He taught me the importance of challenging myself and would push me out of my comfort zone. I will always be eternally grateful.
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date? Strengthened Wakefern’s political presence, creating a leading force in shaping legislative/regulatory policies at the state and federal levels. Built a top-notch Goverrnment Relations (GR) Depart-
ment, PAC and GR team.
Most challenging part of the job: Keeping government out of our pockets.
Advice for upcoming younger executives: Maintain an ongoing list of your achievements. Know the requirements of the job you want, and work to acquire the skills you need for the position.
Hobbies: Yoga and reading.