Baking & Snack - April 2018 - 12

Get that hand in the air

Every spring I'm invited back to my alma mater for a
speed networking event with undergrads preparing to
graduate with a degree in communication or a related
field. I sit with about half a dozen students at a time and,
in a matter of minutes, describe my career trajectory and
how I've used my bachelor's and master's degrees.
Preparing for this year's event, I thought of advice I recently heard from Cordia Harrington, CEO of Nashvillebased The Bakery Cos., who spoke to young professionals and bakery students about the power of involvement.
"Say yes; show up," she said during her keynote address to
the Society of Bakery Women at the American Society of
Baking (ASB)'s BakingTech conference held in February.
"You never know where saying yes will take you."
That's advice I want to give these students as they head
into the workforce. Their willingness to spend an evening
meeting professionals and exploring ideas for what
the future holds could be the flame that lights a fuse
for an otherwise unheard-of opportunity. And as
they pursue their chosen profession, stepping up
to participate in working groups, on committees
and as presenters could be the key to unlocking
doors they might never knew existed.
Participation isn't easy, and it doesn't always
come without a price. I'll be honest; it's not easy
for me to make time to do such things. But by saying yes, I'm not only helping someone, but I'm also
doing myself a world of good. I learned that while participating in the 2015 BakingTech planning committee
and BEMA's 100th Anniversary committee this year.

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12 Baking & Snack April 2018 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Editors and bakers have something in common: the inability to say no. How many times have you been asked to
speak, mentor or participate in something that you just
didn't have time for ... only to have your boss, partner,
teammate or even spouse remind you that there's no more
room on your plate? But how many times did you say yes?
Furthermore, how many times did you get something out of
it? I bet you answered with something close to "all the time."
Participating - whether to learn something or teach
someone - isn't easy, but it's the mark of a true leader.
The baking industry is full of associations that are always in need of participation and leadership. In March,
the International Baking Industry Exposition, to be
held Sept. 8-11, 2019, opened its call for speakers for the
"IBIEducate" program. And in July, ASB will launch its
2019 BakingTech call for papers. BEMA always welcomes
bakers to participate in panels, presentations and its own
version of speed networking, BEMA Connect, at events
like BEMA Summit held in February and Convention in
June. And the American Bakers Association has a host of
committees that welcome participation to act as a voice
for the industry.
I haven't figured out how to engineer more hours in the
day, but it's not going to stop me from saying yes. As Tana
Utley, vice-president, Caterpillar, said last year in a Pack
Expo keynote address, "Always be the employee with a
hand in the air." It's the willingness to put that hand up
that keeps us moving forward.
- Joanie Spencer, editor
jspencer@sosland.com

EDITORIAL
Editor
Joanie Spencer
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Jim Kline
Joe Stout

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Baking & Snack - April 2018

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