Meet Jim Kaylor, Veteran Associate Centered Around Family and Community

Our next feature for Pull-up-a-Chair spotlights Jim Kaylor, member of Perdue's Veterans Associate Resource Group (VARG). Read more about his story below.?(4-5 min read)

Q: Tell us about yourself and your background.?

A:?I am originally from Normal, Illinois (which my family and friends think is a little ironic).?I have moved around quite a bit growing up and as an adult. Most of my childhood was spent in San Diego.??I have lived in 18 different states and two?countries (US and Germany).?My undergraduate degree is in accounting from Michigan State University and my MBA is from Salisbury University.?I have five children, six?grandchildren (plus one on the way) and three?step-grandchildren.?I moved back to the East Coast to be a larger part of two of my?children’s lives who were living in Onancock, VA.?I chose to apply at Perdue because they were one of the largest employers on the Eastern Shore and?hoped there were greater opportunities?for advancement.

Q: What is your current role at Perdue and how long have you?been with the company?

A:?I am currently the Director of Sales Reporting and Analysis.?I have been in my current role now for five?years but overall, I am in my 25th?year with Perdue.?I have worked in international accounting and managed corporate payroll. I have also worked in a?foodservice inside sales/reporting role, accounting process improvement, IT finance for foods, and corporate master data role at Perdue... prior to my present assignment.?

Q: How would you explain your job to a third grader?

A:??I am on a team that helps my company sell things.?We give information that lets our team know how well they are doing and helps them make better decisions.

Q:?How does your work/team align with Perdue’s mission and values??

A:?Our team provides routine and ad hoc information that helps with insights, strategies and decision-making.?The end goal is to improve our company’s sustainable profit.

Q:?Can you share a bit about your veteran story? When and where did you serve?

A:?I enlisted into the Army when I was 17.?It was five days after the official declaration of the end of the Vietnam conflict in 1975.?I was a communications specialist for the 10th?Special Forces Group based at Ft. Devens, MA.?I went through airborne and Special Forces training for that. I was fortunate enough to be promoted one rank out of boot camp and then two additional ranks because I was the top student for my occupational training before my first assignment.?That made things awkward as I was placed in a leadership role at 17 over war hardened veterans.?That resulted in some tough life lessons that helped in my development.?My second assignment was in the Operations/Training department in Ludwigsburg, West Germany for the 72nd?Signal Battalion which supported the VII Corps.?

Q:?How does VARG support you and other veterans?

A:?We have done a variety of engaging events during my time in the VARG that I have been a part of.?We provided meals to the Coast Guard when the unapproved budget resulted in wages being held.?We held an extensive Writer’s Workshop for Veterans to allow them to tell their stories.?In addition, we held a game night where we partnered up with veterans at a local VFW unit.?In addition, we have held Memorial Day and 4th?of July celebrations.?Our group also sends care packages to associate family members who are actively serving.

Q: We want to say thank you (and all veterans) for your service.?What does Veterans Day mean to you?

A:?Veterans Day to me, is about taking the time to reflect and honor all of the veterans who sacrificed their time and put their lives on the line to protect Americans everywhere.?It is also about their respective families who sacrificed as well.?I was privileged to have served alongside people who were just ordinary people with extraordinary courage and determination.?

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A:?I particularly enjoy running, games and exploring through travel.?I love to learn about different communities/cultures and their perspectives.?Seeing and interacting in person is so different than just reading about things.?There are wonderful people everywhere?I have traveled to. Spending time with them lets you see things differently through their eyes.?I am always interested in learning the things we have in common, as well as the things that are unique. I'd also like to mention that I am also active in serving at my church and I teach at Salisbury University in Maryland.?

Q: What do you like about games? What lessons can one learn from playing in a group setting??

A:?I enjoy a challenge and I particularly love games where people have to work together and collaborate.?We laugh a lot and have to work through things together.?That spills over into real life and strengthens relationships and conflict resolution.?I know games are not for everyone but there are some important life lessons and joys from working together during them.?

Q: Tell us – what does family mean to you? As a family-owned company, Perdue values these types of stories!?

A:?Family to me is both a great blessing and a great responsibility.?My greatest joys and sorrows have come from within my family.?I have the responsibility to actively teach, guide, encourage, correct, and love my family as best as possible.?I also learn a great deal through their insights and knowledge.?One memorable adventure with my four?oldest children is when we climbed Mt. Washington in New Hampshire (my wife Donna was pregnant with my youngest daughter, so she stayed back).?We had to stick together and help each other throughout the steep climb with just one bottle of water and a roll of lifesavers!?We all laugh and talk about that adventure to this day.

Q: What is your favorite quote or mantra?

A:?"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.?The world is not moved only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." – Helen Keller