Jeff Blair & Joey Caldwell: Blueprint for Fostering a Cohesive Culture

The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

Joey Caldwell was appointed Senior Vice President for the Retail Business of GreenPoint Ag Holdings, LLC in November 2023, a strategic joint venture of leading agronomy providers in the southern United States. Previously, he served as Vice President and Region Director for GreenPoint Ag, LLC, and spent 26 years as the general manager of Tipton Farmers Cooperative. After successfully leading a merger into GreenPoint Ag in 2019, Joey continued his career with the company. He began as a manager trainee for Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, holding various roles in retail sales, operations, Crop Protection Procurement, and as a Field Agronomist. Joey holds a B.S. in Agriculture with Highest Honors from The University of Tennessee at Martin and was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. A former State FFA President and National Proficiency Award winner in Soil and Water Management, he is also active in his faith, serving children, youth, and special needs adults. Joey grew up on a diversified farm in Northwest Tennessee and now lives in Huntsville, AL with his wife Ann. He has two adult children, David and Christie.

Jeff Blair was appointed President and CEO of GreenPoint Ag Holdings, LLC in August 2020, a strategic joint venture of agronomy leaders in the southern United States. Before GreenPoint Ag, he was President of the Plant Nutrient Group at The Andersons, managing over 700 employees and generating $650M in sales. Jeff also held leadership roles at Intrepid Potash and Orica USA, Inc. He currently serves on the Agricultural Retailers Association Board of Directors. With a commitment to the prosperity of American farmers, Jeff leads GreenPoint Ag's 1,000 employees across 10 states, focusing on safety, stewardship, customer focus, teamwork, and excellence. A former U.S. Army Captain in Special Forces and military intelligence, Jeff holds degrees from Princeton University and the University of Colorado School of Law. He lives in Huntsville, AL, with his wife Carrie and their three daughters.

In this captivating episode of the Intentional Agribusiness Leader podcast, Mark sits down with Jeff Blair and Joey Caldwell from GreenPoint Ag, to delve into the intricacies of leadership in the agribusiness landscape. From internal challenges to operational strategies, the guests share their blueprint for fostering a cohesive culture and driving intentional leadership amongst their teams.

Jeff and Joey discuss strategies for embedding deliberate and purposeful leadership at every level of the organization, from the executive suite to the frontline employees. They articulate the complexity involved in synthesizing individual location cultures into the overarching GreenPoint Ag. The episode offers insights into the guests' leadership philosophies, including the importance of vulnerability, mentorship, and having a consistent message across the organization.

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership in agribusiness requires deliberate actions and clear communication to ensure values and objectives reach every tier of an organization.
• Cultivating a company culture involves balancing the uniqueness of local cultures with the overarching mission of the organization.
• Vulnerability and trust are foundational to effective leadership, influencing how leaders show up in their roles and engage with their teams.
• Both personal challenges and career hurdles, such as consolidating multiple entities or undergoing significant health scares, can deeply impact leadership styles.
• Continuous self-improvement, knowing when to delegate, and aligning with capable individuals are key to enhancing productivity and influence as a leader.

Notable Quotes:

• "Leadership is both an art and a science. You have to be very, very deliberate about what you do and how you go about doing it." - Jeff Blair
• "You have to build a culture of leadership... you have to have individuals at each layer of the business who understand that they are a leader." - Joey Caldwell
• "The hardest person to lead is ourselves." - Jeff Blair
• "Reading to know that we are not alone... I think leadership, if it's done right, can at times be lonely." - Jeff Blair
• "The most important thing for me is purpose. That's how you get your energy back." - Joey Caldwell

Tune in to the full episode to delve deeper into the world of intentional leadership with Jeff Blair and Joey Caldwell, and gain actionable insights to enhance your leadership journey in agribusiness and beyond. Don't miss out on future episodes that promise to enlighten and inspire your path to effective leadership.