Employee Profile

“I enjoy the creativity of constantly searching for new ideas, destinations and analysis.”

I was fortunate to grow up in a great community in Minnesota- but one thing we lacked was diversity. With the influence of my parents I actively sought experiences after high school to change my perspective-studying, working and volunteering abroad. I realized I wanted a company that celebrated the importance of curiosity and a global view, giving the opportunity to travel and do business in parts of the world many people never see. I feel fortunate to work in an office with employees from 15 countries, speaking at least six different languages; there’s always more to learn, also a new perspective. I get to speak Spanish all day and travel throughout Central and South America.

Describe your work responsibilities and the importance of your role.

My job is a mix of risk management, futures and physical trading, and ocean vessel logistics. I trade on behalf of Cargill’s Latin American Veg Oil business, but I also manage (in conjunction with our World Trading Unit in Geneva) the supply chains for key customers in the region. Essentially we are tasked with finding the cheapest origin products and ocean freight while managing the futures, options and price risk from production to consumption. I analyze our markets, contribute to our global S&D estimates, take prudent and calculated risks, and work with customers to solve inefficient supply chains.

Describe your day-to-day activities and the skills needed to perform well.

I am constantly talking with our teams in Minneapolis, Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo and Geneva to discuss changes in cash markets, and what that means for our customers and their businesses. I prepare presentations, develop and execute our futures and physical trading strategies, and handle any logistical problems as they arise. The freight fixing is a puzzle- looking at a map and figuring out what is the cost of goods at each origin, what the market price at destination is and what combination of countries can produce the most efficient supply chain each month.
I enjoy the creativity of constantly searching for new ideas, destinations and analysis. I read a lot of news and I love that everything happening in the world matters to my job; especially in Latin America where the intersection of politics and economics is critical to our business.

Describe your career path. Where did you start and how did you get to where you are today?

Over the past five years, I’ve had four jobs in four locations, in three different business units. My roles have grown in responsibility and geographical scope starting from intern in Bloomington, Minnesota to regional soybean merchandising in Raleigh, North Carolina, to export trading from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to now Latin American trading from Miami, Florida. Starting at a large industrial soybean crush plant was not what I initially expected from my economics degree, but what I learned there has become invaluable in futures and physical trading- both of which I need in my current role.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

I once read that grain trading was the intersection of Wall Street and Main Street. I like that combination of high energy, dynamic markets and at times long hours, mixed with a distinct humbleness and realization that what we trade are necessities. There are few industries with smaller net margins than in grain and I think this highlights the competitiveness, and obligation to deliver the lowest cost, highest quality solution in order to stay in business and quite literally ‘feed the world’. I like that kind of pressure.

Why did you choose to join Cargill and what keeps you here? In other words, how has a career at Cargill helped you to thrive?

As an intern I learned 80% of the average American’s diet was touched by Cargill somewhere in the supply chain, yet, very few of my friends had heard of them. Realizing the size and breadth of Cargill made me curious to see how the world worked.

I stay here, in part because I’ve been impressed by the ethical and moral standards of the culture; I’ve been able to learn and I’ve been rewarded for work hard. However, more importantly, I’ve seen an incredible network of people and information; a diverse (in ethnicity, education and job skills) team across 70 countries that communicates information and humbly works together to be competitive and add value to customers. You can get as much or as little as you want from this network, but the resources are all here.

What advice would you give someone interested in a career at Cargill like yours?

1. Have goals. To me, it’s better to have ambitious goals and change them regularly, then work day to day without a defined direction.
2. Be curious. No one expects a new employee to know everything, but a willingness to learn and a desire to explore will help you get the resources you need.

Share an interesting tidbit about yourself such as hobbies, volunteerism, favorite foods or activities, accomplishments inside or outside of work.

When I’m not working, I enjoy travelling, spending time with friends and competing in marathons and triathlons. One experience that shaped my current outlook in and outside of work, was managing a non-profit organization in college. We travelled and made documentary films on under-told, global issues- with topics ranging from human trafficking in Nepal to sustainable farming in Sub-Saharan Africa. I came to a realization that ethical businesses (not only Cargill but many others) can be an incredible force for good in underserved countries- specifically through employment and community and economic development. I try to balance work with friends, volunteering and athletics. It’s certainly not easy.