“Ag is where the cool kids are anymore. We offer a place for anyone to succeed. You don’t need to be an expert in corn or beans to find a spot in agriculture. It’s come such a long way.”
Growing up on a farm near Blairsburg, IA, Janette and her sisters knew the work ethic required to achieve a successful harvest. Always willing and eager to lend a hand on the farm, she furthered her education to fulfill the drive to help the farm and her family.
Starting as a front desk customer service specialist at West Central over the summer of 1990 after getting her degree at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), she discovered her passion for grain. Her strong passion for grain stems from helping the farmer. “I saw all these hardworking farmers, and they had everything in their operation dialed in—except for marketing their grain,” she said.
Determined to lend her expertise to the farmers who were so reminiscent of the farming neighbors she grew up with, Janette committed herself to following the grain and finding farmers the most value for their hard-earned crop.
In those early days when she was on the initial steps of the “corporate ladder,” it was already a well-established boy’s club.
“The ag industry was pretty male-dominated when I started, but we’ve made a lot of changes—not only in inclusivity, but also promoting collaboration and working for the farmer, not just dollars.”
Janette now leads the entire GROW Grain team. Compiled of 18 people, 16 of which are GROW and Senior Relationship Specialists, she is spearheading upcoming projects for the Landus grain department. She holds team culture in high regard and does her best to know her coworkers at a personal level.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Janette wanted to thank her mom for raising strong and resilient women.
“I’m so thankful for my mom. She’s my hero. She raised me and my sisters with grace and respect. She taught me that opportunity will come, you just have to work hard," she said.
Landus is proud to have women represented in all levels of leadership. Share with us on social media the impact important women have made in your life! Tag us with #TheLandusWay on our social media channels.
