Kevin Eikenberry

I have been leading others for a long time, helping others learn how to be more effective leaders for a long time. But something that people may not know, or unless they come to know me over time, is that I grew up on a farm. And it actually has a huge impact on who I am because it helped me understand a lot of things about cause and effect. It helped me understand a lot about business.

I have been leading others for a long time, helping others learn how to be more effective leaders for a long time. But something that people may not know, or unless they come to know me over time, is that I grew up on a farm. And it actually has a huge impact on who I am because it helped me understand a lot of things about cause and effect. It helped me understand a lot about business.

It helped me because I had the chance to be not that much younger than my parents, really grow up with them. And my dad had me very involved with stuff at a much younger age than most would have the chance to be. So my kidhood, especially having to be on a farm and in a farm business, has had a huge impact on my who I am.

It helped me because I had the chance to be not that much younger than my parents, really grow up with them. And my dad had me very involved with stuff at a much younger age than most would have the chance to be. So my kidhood, especially having to be on a farm and in a farm business, has had a huge impact on my who I am.

We don't have the time for all the memories, but I will tell you that, yeah, we had cash crops of a variety of them over the years and we raised hogs. One of the things that I think that you learn if you raise livestock, is that you might have a lot of things going on.

We don't have the time for all the memories, but I will tell you that, yeah, we had cash crops of a variety of them over the years and we raised hogs. One of the things that I think that you learn if you raise livestock, is that you might have a lot of things going on.

And you might, on farm and certain seasons, there's a tremendous amount of activity and work and things that have to be done on a timely basis. But you can't ever forget the most important thing, which is you have to tend the animals. You have to feed them, in our case, twice a day. And I think I learned a really important lesson early about farming.

And you might, on farm and certain seasons, there's a tremendous amount of activity and work and things that have to be done on a timely basis. But you can't ever forget the most important thing, which is you have to tend the animals. You have to feed them, in our case, twice a day. And I think I learned a really important lesson early about farming.

being clear about priorities, that there can be a lot of things that you need to be doing and that are super important to be doing, but some things that must override them all because if you mess that up, everything else will fall away.

being clear about priorities, that there can be a lot of things that you need to be doing and that are super important to be doing, but some things that must override them all because if you mess that up, everything else will fall away.

Yeah, there's no question that my farm background led to me studying agriculture at Purdue. And there was a time when I thought that I might go back home and be involved in not just our farming operation, but a related agricultural business. The world didn't work out that way, and that's fine. But yes, there was no question that when I left Purdue, For Purdue, that was a big part of the plan.

Yeah, there's no question that my farm background led to me studying agriculture at Purdue. And there was a time when I thought that I might go back home and be involved in not just our farming operation, but a related agricultural business. The world didn't work out that way, and that's fine. But yes, there was no question that when I left Purdue, For Purdue, that was a big part of the plan.

And people have often asked, how do you get to doing what you're doing now, Kevin, when what you started out studying was agriculture? And I said, I went to school to learn about systems, biological and mechanical systems. And now what I work on are human systems.

And people have often asked, how do you get to doing what you're doing now, Kevin, when what you started out studying was agriculture? And I said, I went to school to learn about systems, biological and mechanical systems. And now what I work on are human systems.

And so I don't think it's actually I think my degree and my time at Purdue served me extremely well in a variety of ways, including in the classroom, even though people might not necessarily make that tie immediately.

And so I don't think it's actually I think my degree and my time at Purdue served me extremely well in a variety of ways, including in the classroom, even though people might not necessarily make that tie immediately.

Yeah, so I actually was still in agriculture and I was in sales and marketing in the fertilizer business. And while I was at Chevron, a very large organization in that part of the business, doing sales and marketing, I found myself with opportunities. I was asked to and took opportunities to do some training of customers for customers, sales training for customers.

Yeah, so I actually was still in agriculture and I was in sales and marketing in the fertilizer business. And while I was at Chevron, a very large organization in that part of the business, doing sales and marketing, I found myself with opportunities. I was asked to and took opportunities to do some training of customers for customers, sales training for customers.

And as is often the case in organizations, once you do something and you do it well-ish, you might get other chances to do it, especially if you raise your hand. And so that sort of happened. And I started finding myself getting the chance to facilitate things and to be involved in training.

And as is often the case in organizations, once you do something and you do it well-ish, you might get other chances to do it, especially if you raise your hand. And so that sort of happened. And I started finding myself getting the chance to facilitate things and to be involved in training.