Baking & Snack - June 2005 - 33

Perhaps he is so good at his job because he knows that
it is not the only thing in his life. "You don't live to work,
you work to live," he said. That requires having passions
and a life outside of the job, which Mr. Bruinsma clearly
has. He can name species of vegetation that grow in his
yard, from the 22 rose bushes to the bleeding hearts and
then turn around and explain Pacific Northwest's statistical process control system. "Work is important, but I
don't put all of my stock in it. I trust that I'll be taken care
of. But when I am at work, I work for God, I do my best
for him," he said. And his best is getting Pacific Northwest
ahead of the crowd, and it's getting him noticed.
REAPING WHAT HE SEWS. Mr. Bruinsma has what it
takes to achieve success in business and in life. "Todd has
a great deal of common sense. He is extremely practical
and always thinks things through before acting," Mr.
Stevens said. His business sense has gotten him far for his
age, which Mr. Bruinsma said was something that took
getting used to.
"I had to get over my own insecurities about my age,"
he said. Getting teased about it at the beginning is something that comes with the territory, he said. But he knows
that age doesn't really matter. It's more about experience,
and he has a lot of that.
Yet any amount of experience has to start somewhere,
and he couldn't have achieved what he has today without
the help of several mentors. "My father was integral, and
so was my father-in-law. I also have learned a lot from
both John and Mike. They each have different management styles, and I think I've learned to adjust them to
find one that fits the kind of manager I am," he said.
Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Bruinsma
was recently recognized for 10 years of service with

36 / BAKING & SNACK / June 2005

ᮡ Todd Bruinsma, John Pokorny and Mike Stevens meet in the Pacific
Northwest conference room to discuss operations and quality programs.
Pacific Northwest. He has presented information on
SPC to the American Association of Cereal Chemists and the American Society of Baking and has also
spoken about process control basics at the American
Society of Baking. He served as session chairman for
the American Society of Baking in 2001 and 2005 and
was named outstanding session chairman for his time
there. He has also taken classes at the American Institute of Baking.
And although years ago, when he was offered the job,
Mr. Bruinsma wasn't sure about getting into the baking
industry, he now sees that it is one of the best industries
around. "If you want a good, solid job, it's in the baking
industry," he said. He knows bread is a healthy staple and
that it has been for centuries. And he knows that the
industry that keeps bread relevant is made up of good,
well-rounded, welcoming people. "It's just a good group,
a great industry to work in. There is no stabbing in the
back, no unhealthy competitiveness," he said.
Mr. Bruinsma is a key player at Pacific Northwest.
From the bags of flour to the counter, he oversees production and principles that deliver hamburger buns to
550 McDonald's in six states. He oversees quality and
customer service initiatives and is leading the evolution
that is bringing sensory sciences into process control. But
while crunching numbers and dealing with the science of
things, he still has time to joke with the staff on the floor,
thanking them for their years of service. Todd Bruinsma
understands that for those to whom much has been given,
much is expected. He has been given an abundance, and
his passion is to give back.
Ⅲ

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