Lessons in Leadership and Community: What I Learned From Four Agrifair Pioneers

One of my first jobs, other than my duties on the family farm, was at the Abbotsford Agrifair. It's also where I started my first business. I worked at the Agrifair for almost a decade during my formative years, so when my dad sent me this photo of four "Agrifair pioneers" from a recent article in the Abbotsford News, it brought back a flood of great memories and reflections.

Jim Cox, Frank Keis, Ernie Loewen and John Friesen were all influential leaders during my time at Agrifair. They were also some of my earliest?role models on what it means to be a community builder.

Frank Keis, a longtime general manager of Agrifair,?hired me to work at the fair when I was just 15 years old. My job was to sit at one of fair displays and stamp passports for fairgoers who were participating in a scavenger hunt type activity. Not a bad gig, but after a couple of days, I set my sights on a?new?job.

I’d noticed a group of guys operating tractors and equipment, setting up livstock pens, sweeping the walkways, installing signage and doing other hands-on activities around the grounds. Being part of the "grounds crew," as they were called, looked way more interesting to me than stamping passports. So when I finished my shift,?I found a broom and started sweeping.

"If you want a job, just start doing it. People will take notice of your initiative."

At first, I got some funny looks and comments from the other guys, very clearly communicating, "Who the hell are you?" But I just kept sweeping and lending a hand where I could. By the end of the fair, I’d made enough of an impression on the foreman that he encouraged me to officially join the crew the following year.

That's when I got to know Jim Cox and John Friesen. Both were on the Agrifair board of directors and took a very hands-on approach to their roles. You would often find Jim and John working side by side with our crew in the lead up to the fair, offering guidance and helping to get everything ready for opening day. Both were smart, accomplished businessmen, and they were not afraid to get their hands dirty.

A few years later, we got a new foreman. He was a nice man, but never seemed to grasp the demands of the job and the short timeframe we had to prepare the grounds for the fair. In short, this was not your typical 9-5 job. And yet, as the work continued to mount with each passing day, he'd continue to send the crew home and leave at 5 p.m. My brother Steve and I would stay behind, often working late into the evening. All the while, John was watching.

About half way through the fair, John had seen enough, telling the fair manager that the foreman should be fired. You can do that, the GM told him, but only if you agree to manage the crew. Ever decisive, John didn't hesitate for a second. Knowing he had a couple of willing deputies in my brother and I, he took charge of the crew and we got the job done.

The following year, I approached the general manager with a proposal. How about you give me the entire contract for the grounds, and I will take care of recruiting, hiring, supervision and payroll? He agreed and my first business was born: Peter van Dongen Labour Subcontracting. It meant taking on some risk on my part, but also more autonomy and the prospect of a bigger reward if I managed the crew efficiently.

This new arrangement proved successful and I continued to contract my services to the Agrifair for three more years. It was an ideal summer venture that fit well with my other pursuits. I'd go out to Saskatchewan to help with seeding in the spring, come back to Agrifair for July and August, and then head back to Saskatchewan for harvest and on to Saskatoon for university. Along the way, Agrifair was a tremendous learning experience about what it takes to run a business and lead a team.

Build a strong team. Not just for today... always be thinking about who will replace you tomorrow.

One of the best things I ever did was recruit my friend Len to join the crew. Like me, Len grew up on a local dairy farm. He was smart, resourceful, an extremely hard worker, and quickly became my trusted deputy. When I graduated from university and moved on from the fair, Len stepped in seemlessly and continued to manage the crew for another 15+ years. It was my first big lesson in the value of succession planning.

As I reflect back now on my time at Agrifair, and what I learned from Frank, Ernie, Jim and John, here are a few takeaways:

• If you want a job, just start doing it. People will take notice of your initiative.
• Hard work pays off. Develop a reputation for getting the job done.
• As a leader, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
• If something (or someone) isn't working out, don't wait. Take action.
• Take a chance. On a different approach. On a business idea. On yourself.
• Build a strong team. Not just for today... always be thinking about who will replace you tomorrow.

Lastly, be a community builder. There are countless organizations in need of board members and volunteers right now. Find an opportunity that aligns with your interests and skills and dive right in. You never know the difference you'll make. And just like these four Agrifair pioneers, it's not just about the skills you bring to the table in the moment... it's about what you learn and the lasting impression you leave on the people you encounter along the way.

#fraservalley #abbotsford #bcfairs #leadership #agriculture #communitybuilders