Does Your Company Have a Company Mantra? FoodPRO does! "Faith, Family, FoodPRO."

I am honored to work with so many great Christian CEOs and leaders. One such great leader is Scott Brunk, the CEO of FoodPRO. FoodPRO is a trusted wholesale restaurant supplier and food-service distributor of fresh cut steaks, fish, and produce, as well as non-perishable groceries and food service supplies. FoodPRO has distributed food to their loyal clientele for over 80 years throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, West Virginia, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

FoodPRO has a passion for helping others to succeed. On top of their quality assurance guarantee, you also know that all of their employee-owners care about meeting food-service distributing needs of their customers. That is why they are able to provide and deliver more perfect orders to their customers than anyone else in their entire six-state market area.

Recently CEO Scott Brunk sat down for a short interview to discuss his leadership philosophy at FoodPRO.

Question: Your Dad, second generation. to run recalls hanging banana stalks at a very young age. What is your first memory of working in the family business?

Answer: I started working at FoodPro when I was 17. My first responsibilities were sorting rotten potatoes and building tomato boxes.

Question: You adopted a phrase; "Faith...Family...FoodPro'. Where did that come from and why is it necessary?

Answer: The phrase started when I held my first meeting with the team. I explained that while our jobs are important, there are other things in our lives that are more important. For me, Faith is the most important priority, followed by family and then FoodPRO. Work/life balance is very important to me.

Question: The company has realized unprecedented growth from 2013-2017. You took the helm in 2013. The growth is far above industry standards, projections, and results. If you had to sum up the reason for the growth in one statement, what would that statement be?

Answer: We've changed our outlook back to the ways my father and grandfather ran the business. Every decision we make as a company we ask, "Is this good for the employees?" and "Will this help our customers grow?" If we can accomplish these two things then the company naturally grows.

Question: Being a 3rd generation family member to run the business, what is essential for you to implement to prepare for generation number 4? Will you encourage one, all or none of your four children to become a part of the business? If so, Why? If not, Why?

Answer: I hope to do the same for my children as my father did for me. I was never pressured to work here. However, once I decided that I wanted to be a part of FoodPRO, my father has always been there to encourage me and help me along the way. The best thing he did for me was to have me start at the bottom and earn my way up. I will do the same for any of my children who choose to be part of FoodPro.

Question: Define Success

Answer: I see success as more than just the bottom line. To me, success is also being able to support our FoodPro families in growing their careers. An added bonus is seeing second and third generations joining our team. All employees here are treated with respect. I try to listen to all of our employees and understand each of their positions. Their opinions are valued and important to me.

Question: You have worked in several different roles and departments within the organization over the 23 years you have been with the company. What role and/or department prepared you best for taking over as President in 2013? Why?

Answer: Not any role is more important than the other. Each position helped prepare me to become a better leader.

Question: Ok, enough questions. Are you willing to play a word association game? I give you a word and you tell me thing that comes to mind.

Answer: Great! Let's start!

Ambition - Drive; Work - Hard; Family - Love; Partner - Wife; Customer - Partners; Profit - Success; Hunger - Drive; Kids - Fun; Integrity - Honesty

Question: Interesting. Can you explain that?

Answer: If we truly look at our customers as partners and work together, we will all have a greater success.

Let's take a tour of the FoodPRO offices and warehouse.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Ken Gosnell is CEO and Servant Leader of CXP (CEO Experience). CXP is a premier coaching and executive roundtable business that serves Christian CEOs in Washington DC, Maryland, and Florida. Ken serves leaders by helping them and their teams to have great experiences that both transform the leader and their organizations to go further faster. He has worked with hundreds of CEOs and their leadership teams to enhance their strategic, operational and people accomplishments. He is a recognized author and member of the Forbes Coaches Council. He is married to Shonda, and they have four children. You can connect with him at https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/kengosnell/ 

He has also created the CEO Experience Impact Assessment. This assessment helps leaders learn the areas of their leader that they must improve to go forward. Get your score by taking the assessment here.

Ken is the creator and facilitator of the Christian CEO Linkedin Group. Click here to find out more and to join this group.