FOOD AND DRINK
the humility to recognize that we can always be learning new and improved ways to do things, and I think that’s a fundamental part of our culture.” Also key to that culture Tapick speaks of, is a desire from all of the company’s employees to ensure the company stays ahead of the curve and adapts to stay competitive or gain an advantage on competitors. And that’s not something new, it’s something that has always been part of Martin Preferred Foods’ identity. Tapick says: “When you think about my grandfather and great uncle, they had to think outside the box. If they’d just said ‘I’m sorry Mr Customer, we don’t sell turkeys, we just sell canned goods,’ then this company would never have been born. “To give another example of innovation, in the 1950s, the norm in Texas was to sell whole chickens. My grandfather though, went to New York City, and he walked into a grocery store and lo-and-behold that store was not just selling whole chickens, but also chicken parts that had been cut up into legs, thighs and breasts and sold separately. He thought
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Jeffrey Tapick President and Chief Operating Officer As a third-generation leader and owner of the company, Jeff Tapick is proud and grateful of the business success and legacy he inherited from his parents and grandparents. Jeff approaches his role as president and chief operating officer with openness and enthusiasm; a dose of modesty and humility; and an unwavering commitment to constantly improve the company’s performance and results. He believes strongly that his foremost obligation is to his family, and he is motivated by his mission to cultivate and grow the Tapick family’s business assets so they may be passed on for the benefit of future generations to come. Jeff and his wife Rebecca became the first husband/wife duo to concurrently earn M.B.A.’s in Family Business from the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University. Applying the knowledge they gained in that program, Jeff and Rebecca spearheaded the creation of a Tapick family council and the adoption of a family statement of values, a family mission statement, and the newly created Advisory Board.