What's happening at GEAPS Exchange 2023?

Barbara Grove talks about what being involved with GEAPS has done for her professionally.

Steven Kilger

February 26, 2023

Transcript:

Feed & Grain:

Can you tell me a little about yourself and what you do at GEAPS?

Barb Grove: 00:11

Hi, I'm Barb Grove. I am the quality systems manager for Central Valley Ag. I grew up on a grain and livestock farm and have worked in the Ag Industry almost my entire life. And currently I'm serving as the chairman of the board for the GEAPS organization.

F&G:

What are you most looking forward to at this year's Exchange?

Grove: 00:27

I think that educational programming is really phenomenal this year, our team works really hard. You know, we had an opening workshop this year with almost 500 people. And that's pretty exciting, because what we're looking at expanding that, to say it's not just for operations, people, we want to hit the HR, we want to hit the sales, something relevant for everybody. The same thing with our closing workshop, we want everybody in the same room learning together.

FG:

How have things been at GEAPS since the last Expo? What are your highlights?

Grove: 01:05

I think this year, and really getting going with our new membership models, the facility and the group models, we have just hit that 3000-member mark, that's really exciting for us to say, people are coming back, and you want to be part of GEAPS that this year. For the first time we're working on a trade show down in Brazil, to truly bring us to that international organization, opportunity. So that's very exciting to have working on something like that for the first time ever.

FG:

What has being involved with GEAPS done for your career and experience in the grain handling industry?

Grove: 01:57

When we talk about GEAPS, a lot of times we say networking is a positive point. And I believe that to be true it is through working at your chapter level and working at the international level that you meet people. And you start working with other people around the industry. And that has not only helped me with GEAPS leadership and leadership in my own company, but I've been part of NGFA's Grain Grades and Weights. And through that networking, was appointed by the US Secretary of Ag to the USDA is Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. And I was made the chair of that committee. And that all started with GEAPS and knowing people and getting comfortable with people building my leadership skills.

FG:

What would you say to encourage young people to get involved with GEAPS (both joining the association and being active in its running)?

Grove: 03:02

Again, I'm going to come back to that networking. You come to a place like the Exchange, or you go to a chapter meeting, and you meet people that can help give you the answers. And even if you're not a member. To start joining that membership, and expanding that knowledge, like I said earlier helps you in your leadership skills, a great way to learn from a lot of other people.

FG:

Can you tell us about GEAPS’ new mission statement?

Grove: 03:37

Yeah, very exciting. This year, we worked as a board of directors to say, who is GEAPS? And who do we want to be for the future? And so, we've worked on a new vision and the new mission. And our new vision is "GEAPS will be the global community and thought leader for the grain industry, which feeds and fuels the world. And our mission is to "Champion connect and serve the global grain industry and our members". So, our focus is looking at what can we do for the entire agriculture community, not just right here in the United States.

Barbara Grove, CGOM, quality systems manager at Central Valley Ag Cooperative and Board Chair for the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS), talks about what's happening at the 2023 GEAPS Exchange.

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