Name, Title, Organization: Doug Wilke, CEO at Valley Queen in Milbank, SD
Favorite Quote: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker, Management Consultant and Author. Developing and executing long range plans are a priority in my approach to business and the vision for Valley Queen’s future.
Most Valued Books on Business: One of the most valuable books on business, in my opinion, is “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. I read this book at a crucial moment in my career, and it changed my perspective. It provided me with great insights and helped me see things in a new light.
Describe your career path: I began my professional career working at a cheese plant from 1984 to 1995. Over the years, I worked my way up to become a plant manager. In 2001, I was appointed VP of Manufacturing and was responsible for overseeing 15 plants. I then became the VP of Marketing and Product Technology in 2007 and held that position until 2015. 2015 I was appointed Senior VP of Dairy Ingredients, Product Technology, and Business Ventures. The following year, I was fortunate to join Valley Queen as their CEO.
What are your key responsibilities? As the CEO of Valley Queen, I am entrusted with developing strategies and business plans that meet the company’s short-term and long-term objectives. I provide steadfast leadership and guidance to the team, ensuring employee engagement and alignment while fostering a high-performance work culture. I oversee all operations and business objectives, ensuring they yield the desired results and align with Valley Queen’s mission, vision and values instilling confidence in the company’s future.
What is your connection to farming? I grew up on a traditional dairy farm in Wisconsin, where we milked about 60 Holsteins. This upbringing has given me an understanding of milk production at the farm level as well as an understanding of what is important to dairy producers. Currently, at Valley Queen, we have 43 producers, and we share a mutual understanding that we cannot grow and be successful without each other.
What is a leadership lesson that you’ve learned in your career? Playing the long game is crucial for great leaders. Although it can be tempting to go for quick wins, long-term success requires alignment and strategy.
What is your leadership philosophy? My leadership philosophy is based on the belief that part of being a good leader is recognizing that you’re not always the smartest person in the room. As a leader, I focus on building strong relationships with my team members and helping them develop their strengths. By doing so, I create a collaborative environment where everyone is aligned and prepared to face challenges and keep things moving forward.
What is your greatest challenge as a leader? Leaders face many challenges, but one in particular has always been a challenge. —employees often come to work daily without clearly understanding how their work contributes to our goals and whether they are succeeding or failing. If we don’t set clear objectives, expectations, and performance metrics across the org chart, our leadership will only impact those we meet with regularly. We must provide everyone with the same level of clarity to foster ownership and a thriving work culture.
