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Our “Why I Chose FBN” series features stories from employees across different roles, teams, and geographies on how they got to FBN, what it’s like to work here, and how their teams help fulfill our mission of putting Farmers First®.
In this installment, get to know Matt Stupica.
I started here in March 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic — it was a totally different ball game. I came here to start an indirect procurement function from scratch. I've been here for a little over four years, and I'm now the senior director of procurement excellence, which touches on a lot of processes and policies for both indirect and direct procurement. I’m based out of Chicago.
Our work directly impacts FBN’s ability to effectively and efficiently support farmers and provide them with the best cost options. We start by driving value within our own company to make sure that we're avoiding waste. We minimize inflated and unnecessary costs, so those costs aren’t passed on to the farmer.
I was interested in establishing an indirect procurement function from scratch. I found FBN on LinkedIn and loved the stage and mission of the organization, and immediately perceived I could have a material impact here.
I wanted to apply my diverse category experience into one space, build something from scratch, but also build it right from the start, being really thoughtful about what is necessary from a procurement discipline perspective at this company. I also enjoy developing processes and policies, and I like working through change management.
I find it very entrepreneurial. I think if you identify an opportunity for improvement and you have an interest in pursuing it, as long as you have a logical thought process and proposal, you're going to get support to pursue it if you would like to.The support for improvement is robust and people are really collaborative.
Pre-FBN, I worked for very large companies that had very large indirect procurement teams. My focus at those companies was narrowly focused on specific categories for a period of time. So for two-year increments, I would focus on solely professional services, then solely marketing insights and innovation, then solely contingent labor, and then solely transportation procurement.
I was intentional about getting deep category specific experience at these big companies so I could really understand each category of spend. At FBN, it's more of a general approach across categories to support all types of spend.
My grandpa was a farmer. He had a farm for 50 years, so I had always had a connection to farming.
I've got friends and family all over the United States, so I really enjoy traveling to visit them. I love to be active and do some bike riding around the city or spending time outdoors.
Obviously, focus on the core of your role and nail the fundamentals of the role, but don't be afraid to raise your hand or call out opportunities for improvement. We're all one team and need to work together. Also, try to find a balance between short-term and long-term improvements, and document your ideas so that if for some reason now is not the right time to address an opportunity, you can easily look back at your list of opportunities and revisit them later on.
Are you passionate about helping farmers? FBN is looking for talented individuals who want to help family farmers succeed. We hire a wide range of positions including marketing, sales, warehousing, procurement, and more.
Learn more about the open roles available at FBN.
Why I Chose FBN®: Kevin Adair, Regional Sales Director for the East Canada Territories
Why I Chose FBN®: Keith Jackson, Fulfillment Operations General Manager
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