Cargill receives Department of Defense Freedom Award

Cargill received the Department of Defense’s 2017 Freedom Award at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. today. The distinction is given to companies and government agencies that go above and beyond the legal requirements to hire and retain military veterans and reservists. Cargill was one of the five large companies chosen from more than 3,000 nominations.

“It inspires me to see that so many companies are making efforts to recruit and retain military employees. We call on all corporate leaders to work together and share best practices because unemployment is still higher for veterans than for the general population,” said David MacLennan, Cargill’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We can do more to support and help ease the transition to civilian life and the business world.”

Hiring personnel with a background in the Armed Services is one of Cargill’s diversity focus points. As a global company, Cargill values people with overseas experience who are used to performing in challenging situations and know the world is an interconnected place.

Cargill won the award not only because of its efforts to recruit members of the military – it has a full-time HR professional exclusively focused on that task – but also for its work to integrate and retain them. Former soldiers can join the company’s Veterans and Military Support Network, use mentorship services to ease the transition into the private sector and enjoy flexible policies that allow them to fulfill their duties to the military as reservists.   

Cargill was nominated by Traci Earls, lieutenant colonel in the Kansas Army National Guard and general manager of the Cargill protein plant in Butler, Wisconsin.

Traci Earls, lieutenant colonel in the Kansas Army National Guard and general manager of the Cargill protein plant in Butler, Wisconsin. “My peers, co-workers, and leaders have always demonstrated a sense of pride to have me on their team, which has allowed me to never feel guilty if my military obligation took me away from work,” she wrote in her official nomination. “This only happens when an organization has a deep-rooted culture of support and understanding.”

We spoke to Traci by phone from the Butler plant, where she leads 500 employees producing a million pounds of ground beef hamburger patties daily. 

How did you start your journey from soldier to general manager?

I joined the army right out of high school when I was 17. My first duty station was in Germany. Over there, I drove 18-wheelers. Driving these huge trucks as a teenager in a foreign country was just awesome. It was by far the best job I’ve ever had.

After using the GI bill to go to college, I came back as an active duty officer. This time, I was a maintenance officer, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. When I got off active duty in 2003, I joined the Kansas Army National Guard.

My unit was deployed to Iraq in 2008. Being part of something so much bigger than myself was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It was tough to leave my family behind, but the mission itself was very rewarding– I would do it again in a heartbeat.

How did you come to Cargill?

After Iraq, I was working for a pharmaceutical company but their values didn’t line up with my own. I was spending more and more time at work. I wanted to work for a company that valued work-life balance. I started doing research in the Wichita area and everybody I talked to had nothing but positive things to say about Cargill. I started working for Cargill in 2010.

How was your transition from Iraq to professional life?

When you come home, you’re not allowed to go back to work for three months. You get decompression time, but it’s still rough. You have high expectations of people, and when some of them complain about their jobs and about little things, that can be hard to take.

After being a part of something so much bigger than yourself, it’s hard to find your purpose again. When I started working at Cargill, I was in the meat business. But it’s not about the meat for me, it’s about the people. That’s where I find my passion: being there for the men and women I work with every day. My role as a general manager is about coaching, training and mentoring. It’s about being a good leader, versus just making hamburger patties.

How did your military service prepare you for your current role as a plant manager?

You get leadership training throughout your military career. Coming into the private sector and being in key leadership roles, I had the skills needed to set me up for success.

At Cargill, we often say “What is your brand as a leader?” In the army we call that our “leadership philosophy.” That has made leadership very deliberate for me. I always think about it and I try to make sure my people do the same.

Why did you nominate Cargill for the Freedom Award?

Since the first day I started working for Cargill, they’ve always been very supportive. I’ve never been given a hard time about needing time away to fulfill my obligations to the military and never felt that I had to choose one career over the other. This company has never let me down.

I’m still in the Kansas National Guard, but live in Milwaukee, so I have to travel for my drill weekends. Cargill has been extremely supportive of my long-distance obligation.

We know that diverse teams are more successful at Cargill. How does hiring members of the military play a role?

One of the biggest lessons I learned when I first joined was how much was out there beyond my small hometown. When you hire military people, they bring in a different point of view, because they’ve had so many different experiences.

I really admire their sense of perspective and their calmness when they’re leading in chaotic situations.

In the big picture, no matter what happens today, we’re all still going home tonight and we’re going to see our families.