Jen Ehresmann

Jen EhresmannWhat have you learned while doing your job that helps you do it better?"I studied international business in college, but I've learned through experience that understanding political issues is crucial, and international food trade is perhaps the number-one trade topic."Jen Ehresmann says she joined Jennie-O Turkey Store two-and-one-half years ago "because it was one of the most reputable companies in this area and had a great name for its strong employee relations.I knew it was a good company to join," she adds.She had sold agricultural equipment and gained exporting experience to supplement her academic focus on international business at St. Cloud State University."I began studying international business more because of my interests from a cultural standpoint than as training for the opportunities and challenges of working in the international business arena.But it has helped me here."After a year with Jennie-O an opportunity emerged for Jen in the export department."It was something I definitely wanted to do," she says, adding that the learning curve was high."Even though I had international experience selling agricultural equipment, there weren't as many political issues there as there are in the poultry industry.Food is the most dynamic item that is being traded internationally," she comments.Jennie-O Turkey Store has been recognized as one of the key exporting companies in the turkey industry, and has won the President's Award for excellence in exporting.
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Jen joined the firm just after the merger of Jennie-O Foods, a subsidiary of Hormel Foods, and The Turkey Store, which had been a privately held Wisconsin-based company.
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Jen serves on the board of directors for USAPEEC."The more active we can be in that organization, the better prepared we are and the stronger voice we have as exporters," she stresses.Jen credits her ability to be flexible and a team player as key attributes in her success as an export sales presence for Jennie-O-Turkey Store.Those abilities will be even more important as she adds motherhood to her life.Jen and her husband Matthew Slinden are celebrating the February birth of their first child.
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Jen and Matthew live on an old family farm site outside of Willmar, so do-it-yourself projects are always demanding the couple's time, but for available leisure hours they travel and pursue sports such as volleyball and scuba diving.