18th Annual
THE SHELBY SHELBY-- GRIFFIN REPORT
A celebration o�
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Tribute offers insight into careers of 26 honorees The Shelby Report of the Midwest presents its 18th annual tribute to Women of Influence in the food industry. This year’s slate of honorees – 26 strong – runs the gamut from presidents and VPs to managers, directors and supervisors. They are among the leading executives in their respective fields, but their candid responses to questions from the Shelby team also reflect how they handle their other roles – as wives, mothers, sisters and even grandmothers. Whether they’ve worked there decades or just a few months, these women are making an impact at their companies. Some have MBAs or law degrees,
Liz Bleakley St Pierre Groupe Head of PR and Communications I am responsible for global public relations and communications for St Pierre Groupe, working to raise the profile of the business and its brands with trade, consumer and B2B audiences, as well as overseeing internal communications initiatives at the U.K. headquarters. I develop and
Laura Boitnott Cascades Speciality Products Group Sales Manager I have had a passion for business, marketing and understanding consumer trends for as long as I can remember. I graduated from Lindenwood University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration focused on international consumer marketing. My career for nearly 30 years has been focused on paper and food packaging sales. Customer needs in food packaging have changed dramatically over my career. The reward has always been in finding solutions to support the changes and challenges. Over time, the culture of the industry has changed too. In my first job
Lauren Brown Fareway Stores Retail Systems Analyst The most rewarding parts of my job include problem-solving with my team, generating more efficient processes and helping make other peoples’
jobs easier. I did not come from an IT background, so every day presents a new
while others are pursuing doctorates. Nearly all belong to professional associations and are active in their communities. In the pages that follow, they share advice for up-and-coming professionals, as well as detail some of the challenges and rewards they’ve experienced along the way. In addition, you’ll learn about the defining moments in their careers. We found their responses refreshing and inspirational, and hope you will as well. Join us as we celebrate the 2023 Women of Influence.
implement strategic communications campaigns across U.K., Ireland, UAE and American markets. The most rewarding part of my job is working with fantastic people and helping the business to foster a sense of community. People do business with people. Humans remember not what was said or done but how something made them feel. St Pierre Groupe puts people first, and it is incredibly rewarding to work for a business which can genuinely say that its team and culture are central to its success. The most challenging part of my role is building relationships with associates on the “other side of the pond” from our U.K. headquarters.
Whether that's relationships with media, colleagues or building consumers' relationship with our brand. That does, however, allow me fantastic opportunity to test and learn with new marketing techniques, explore more creative approaches and of course, travel the world. So even the challenges of my role make me incredibly lucky. My advice for up-and-coming professionals would be to “stay hungry” – challenge yourself and your colleagues to do better, review your work and learn from it. And, if you can, try to laugh with people. They'll remember you for the smile you gave them.
after college, I was the only woman in our region. That year, I was the first woman in the history of the company to win the rookie award. Overcoming gender bias was not always easy. The best advice I can give women early in their careers is to be your authentic self. Do not let who you are set boundaries in your success. Cascades provides a safe ground for women to support each other through mentorship and development programs. In my first leadership role, I worried if my success as a salesperson was enough to be a good sales leader. But in fact, passion is what drives a good leader. The love of your company, your team and customers are what makes a leader inspirational. As the sales manager for Cascades Specialty Products Group, I have had the pleasure of leading a sales team in the U.S. and Canada. Among our products lines, we offer sustainable solutions for protein and produce trays for the retail and processor markets. Unprecedented demands on retailers during COVID-19 brought
unique and difficult challenges for my team. It was tough. Through it all the determination of the SPG sales team has made our customer relationships even stronger. I have had many great mentors in my life. My grandparents were immigrants and raised their family during the Depression. They had a saying in Spanish that translated to “Charity starts at home.” I believe giving back to your community and the organizations that touch your family’s lives are the most important. I have served as committee chair for our school, community and the local Jaycees chapter. I volunteer to assist with business plans for the local Small Business Association and support various programs that touch the lives of children dealing with cancer in their families. Working for Cascades allows me to grow both my passion for leading a purposefully engaged sales team but also serving my community.
learning opportunity for me. I enjoy the challenge of building a strong bridge between my team and other departments. Throughout my career with Fareway, I have been fortunate to work with leaders who supported my growth and learning. Our database developer, Erik, taught me a tremendous amount in just a few years. Collaborating and brainstorming with him plays into my passion for generating ideas, which in turn breathes new excitement into my job each day. Defining moments have been sprinkled throughout the projects I have worked on in my career. However, the most pivotal moments were those involving the choice to make a change. My most memorable choices usually
involved turning away from the more comfortable option. Reaching for new opportunities played an important role for me over the years. It took time and hard work to find the right balance in opening myself up to new things while maintaining focus and keeping my current actions aligned with my long-term goals. My advice to other professionals is to find people who support you – people who cheer on the wins and offer support during the challenges. I have gotten where I am today because of all the amazing people around me.