Outgoing PUSA chair ends year of service with reflections, gratitude

With the close of Potatoes USA annual meeting, held March 9-11 in Denver, my term as chair of the board has come to a close. In my last address, I wanted to take the time to reflect, say thank you and share a few of my key takeaways.

I’ve said this before, but it’s worth reiterating: It’s a privilege to serve as chair of this board. In my opinion, the benefits far outweigh the responsibilities that come with the role.

I’ve been a proud member of the potato industry for 34 years and a board member for 13. Serving as chairman gave me an even deeper understanding of all the moving parts that support the industry, and I got to be involved in a way I haven’t before. I’d like to think that I contributed valuable insight and direction over the last year. But I know without a doubt I’ve gained new learnings and perspectives that I can apply in my region and business.

For those of you already on the board, I urge you to be active and make your voices heard. Being involved and engaged means you make a greater impact, but also that you get even more out of your efforts. For industry members who haven’t served on the board, I highly recommend you consider it; look for nominations when they open this summer.

By many measures, this has been a challenging year for our industry. Potatoes USA CEO Blair Richardson and the team, alongside other industry partners, are doing everything they can on our behalf to identify and further strengthen the demand for potatoes while also supporting expanded marketing opportunities around the globe. They get into the right rooms and pursue opportunities from every angle to give us the best possible chance at industry growth.

Stateside, the team is coming up with creative ways to inspire new use cases for potatoes, like making them a staple for Halloween and promoting global-inspired dishes to enjoy as the world’s athletes competed at the Milano Cortina Olympics in February.

While Potatoes USA is designed to strengthen long-term demand, the organization constantly uses the information gathered in real time to inspire the activities that will continue to drive that demand.

Speaking of looking toward the future, that’s probably the biggest takeaway from my experience as chair: Potatoes USA’s relentless focus on supporting a thriving industry for generations to come. Just as the record numbers of consumers understand the health benefits of potatoes due to decades of work, the work being done this year is building even more momentum.

With our future in mind, I encourage you to become familiar with the Seed to Table initiative that the board is beginning to explore. In January, we approved a feasibility study to look at the potential for Potatoes USA to help accelerate the great work being done in early-stage variety research as well as expand industry educational opportunities to ensure the products we develop, grow and distribute meet evolving consumer preferences and appear on more plates in the years to come.

I’m proud to have been on the leadership team that initiated this foundational thinking that is designed to ensure the U.S. potato industry is well-positioned for the future.

Fortunately, after a year as chair, I get to serve for a year as chair emeritus, so this isn’t goodbye by any stretch. I look forward to working with the new board members who will be joining soon. To you, my advice is: Show up to meetings, engage with your fellow board members, share your valuable perspective and experience and bring knowledge back to your region. Being on the board is a two-way street, and contributing in both directions strengthens the entire industry.

I’m proud of the work I’ve gotten to be part of over the last year and the position the board is in now. I’m excited to pass the torch while staying involved to support our new chair and the board’s ongoing work.

Steve Elfering is the outgoing chair of Potatoes USA.

Contributing Writer