WASHINGTON, DC — To round out the education at the NextGenBaker Leadership Forum, held September 30-October 1 by the American Bakers Association (ABA), senior leaders from various segments of the commercial baking industry provided their perspectives and key takeaways from their careers.
The panel — moderated by NextGenBaker co-chairs Lili Economakis and Bradley Cain — featured insights from Larry Marcucci, CEO of Alpha Baking Co.; Miguel Moreno, CEO of Roskam Food; and Don Carrell, CEO of Kwik Lok.
For some leaders, such as Marcucci, the baking industry was a pre-paved path from generations before them.
“I grew up in a family that owned a baking company that’s still operating,” Marcucci said. “I started working in the bakery as a teenager and through college. I worked there for about six months after college and then in January 1977, my cousin and I decided to start our own bakery.”
Contrary to Marcucci’s experience, the industry found others in different circumstances.
“I came into the role at Kwik Lok from a packaging background,” Carrell shared. “I wasn’t seeking it out when they found me. In the years that I’ve been here, it’s been a fantastic group to work with. This industry is unique that way; there’s a lot of camaraderie.”
Whether it be on the baking, packaging or manufacturing side, in order to continue to honor each company’s missions and values at the core of operations, communication is essential.
“One of the biggest challenges as a leader connects with communication,” Moreno said. “For me, that’s the key to keeping those things alive. It’s being sure that every opportunity we have to interact with our people is an opportunity to be consistent with the mission, strategy and everything that we’re doing.”
Carrell shared that one strategy that has worked well at Kwik Lok is working with leaders within the company who not only walk the walk but talk the talk.
“They’re setting the example, and that’s really where I’ve seen a lot of growth,” Carrell said “For a lot of individuals, the mission, vision and values are embodied in their actions, and that really makes a difference. They’ll bring the whole team along as you’re going down this journey because we’re all in it together, right?”
Prioritizing time to connect is also essential. Marcucci noted that 20 years ago, due to his company’s wide array of business elements, Alpha Baking began holding a call at 8 a.m. CT called “The Shipping Meeting,” where the team discusses every facility and troubleshoots any issues that may occur.
Another way these leaders engage their employees is through delegating, which is essential for companies with an international presence such as Kwik Lok.
“I delegate responsibilities to a lot of the key people in my leadership team so that they can develop those relationships and habits and get the team where they need to be,” Carrell said, noting that it spread communication more evenly across several parties instead of relying on one person.
Empowering employees to raise concerns when they see it can also support the workforce.
“Sometimes, people are just afraid to say a problem or say what they think,” Moreno said. “If we don’t encourage that to happen and make a safe environment to speak up, we’re not going to be able to fix things or continue what’s working.”
Upholding company values lies in hiring those who will support the mission and bring passion to the job.
“We look for someone that’s passionate about what they do,” Marcucci said. “A lot of people in our business do regular jobs like stacking pans or feeding product somewhere, so it’s hard to find somebody who seems to have an interest and wants to be more for the company. We’re always looking for that person that’s got that interest or passion.”
Those passionate individuals can also bring attention to operational challenges and potentially provide solutions.
“I’ve noticed the highly successful managers in our organization that come forward when they have an issue also have about three solution options,” Carrell said. “It doesn’t have to be that they’re all going to be right, but they’re trying to think of ways to come to the problem with a solution. That makes the world of a difference in developing that individual.”
Retaining those passionate, problem-solving staff members also means offering a path for growth and development. One way to engage members of the workforce is through real-world opportunities. Moreno highlighted using short-term tasks and assigning task forces for them allows employees to not only support the company but also gain practical exposure.
With the next generation stepping into the workforce, creating plans for succession is essential for companies.
“We have a group of younger people that we brought in now that we meet with to talk about our goals and strategies and where our strengths are,” Marcucci said. “We often discuss how we can continue the momentum of the company, and by bringing this next layer in and developing the lower foundation, we’re starting to communicate that down the best we can.”
Supporting employees is also essential for securing that line of succession. By offering desirable benefits, companies are able to retain their valuable team members.
