Congrats to Sow 26, our 2015 SelectPride winners

posted on Monday, January 25, 2016

A huge shout out is in order for John, Chrystal, Becca and the entire Sow 26 crew on their overall Select Pride win for 2015. Described as one of the most dedicated and successful sow farm managers at Iowa Select Farms, John and his team landed in the coveted number one spot for the 2015, beating out 37 other sow farms in the system. Since the SelectPride Program (formerly known as CyHawk Challenge) kicked off in 2009, Sow 26 has earned 19 appearances in the top ten, the most appearances from any sow farm to date.

John is modest when asked to talk about the farm’s performance, but the people who work with him are quick to spill his secrets to success by describing a few of his leadership traits.

“John thanks you at the end of each day, whether it was a good day or a bad day,” says Chrystal, the Farrowing Manager. “He shows his appreciation for the work everyone does.”

“John works right alongside of us and gets us enthusiastic about our contributions to the point where it becomes contagious,” said Rebecca, the Breeding Department Head. “Now all of our days are made over in breeding when we hear a sow farrows 16, 17, 18 born alive. He shows us how our contributions impact performance and help the whole team succeed.”

“John is committed to doing the right thing every day,” said Dan, the farm’s senior supervisor. “He pays very close attention to the details and he and his team achieve their success by making sure every last piece is executed correctly.”

“John’s a key trainer for our Production Leadership Program, said Dana, HR Supervisor and program manager. “He’s an incredible trainer and mentor, not only because of his proven performance but also because he is patient, encouraging and takes the time to explain things that are important. It’s not uncommon to have an intern or a PLP member at his farm.”

His whole team agrees that John instills the message that every person and every contribution is important and that above all, make sure you’re supporting one another. “We’re only as strong as our weakest link, he’s taught us to be positive, have fun and encourage each other,” said Aron, Breeding Lead. The crew is proud of the positive culture on the farm, “No one ever says, ‘that’s not my job or that isn’t something I usually do,’” he adds.

“This is a huge accomplishment for John and his crew,” said Dan. “They earned two first place finishes this year—they won the Q1 SelectPride top farm and then stayed strong to finish first place for 2015, their focus and determination paid off, we’re all proud of John and the Sow 26 team!” ‪#‎billionpounds‬