Information technology (IT) is always changing and innovating – so to fill that role you need to have someone who is just as forward-thinking. For Jenner Ag, that person is Jeremy McCammack, VP of IT. From the routine of setting up new accounts to the complexity of installing and maintaining the latest cybersecurity for three locations and employees across two states, Jeremy excels. But his knowledge isn’t just limited to the IT side of things, he is also a key contributor on the company’s internal The Great Game of Business (GGOB) team that helps drive the culture at Jenner Ag.
The way the company uses technology on a daily basis has grown leaps and bounds since Jeremy started in 2009. “Tasks that associates completed used to be heavily based in paperwork. Now, information goes onto a server so associates can communicate easily between our three locations. That is something that has drastically changed and is still changing,” says Jeremy. “When I started, everything was on site; everyone wasn’t even getting emails on their phones. Now, we use IT to communicate between departments and upload to databases.”
Jeremy spends his time on the IT side keeping associates mobile and technology running. “Half the workforce here is mobile – our service technicians are always on the move,” says Jeremy. “With the constant advancements in technology, our technicians use their laptops or tablets to help them diagnose machines. Keeping things updated and staying on top of new developments is the best way to keep us secure.”
Even beyond technology, the company isn’t afraid of updating to innovate. In fact, Jeremy believes that the biggest pro to working at Jenner Ag isn’t the job itself, but management’s approach to change. “If something isn’t working, we aren’t stuck in our ways. We will change tactics until something works,” he explains. “We are always thinking ahead. We don’t think, ‘This is how it has always been done; so, this is how we will continue to do things.’”
That’s how the IT guy took a central role when the company sought out a way to enhance culture and performance. In addition to his tech duties, today Jeremy is also a main player in the company’s GGOB – a unique practice of open book management that encourages associates to think and act like owners. “When I started, Jenner Ag wasn’t playing the GGOB yet, so I was strictly IT – which I loved, but I have always had a desire to explore the more creative side of things,” says Jeremy. “I have always liked doing graphic work, and when we started playing the Game, I got to explore that side of myself at work, which was refreshing. The culture here has allowed me to expand way outside of my job description, which keeps it exciting for me.”
Tim Conaway has been building anhydrous and liquid toolbars for four years as Shop Foreman at the Jenner Precision location, and to this day he is still amazed by the amount of information he encounters daily.
“We are constantly learning new things and sharing information that will make life better for our customers, by making us more knowledgeable and efficient at our jobs,” says Tim. “I’ve been building these anhydrous and liquid bars for years, and in 30 minutes at one of our sales meetings, I’ve learned more about the product I’m building than I have in all the years I’ve been putting it together.”
He jokes that there is so much knowledge available in everyday conversations within the company that everyone should be writing everything they hear down. “Just in random conversation, you can pick up little bits of information that will become valuable at some point in time. It may be six months down the road, but it will happen,” says Tim.
Being in one of the three locations Jenner Ag has allows him to have perspective on how well management communicates with each location. “There is more face-to-face interaction here than at other companies. Not only do you receive the standard emails, phone calls and text messages; management stops in and just asks you, ‘Hey what’s going on?’ If anything happens, instead of just sending an email, they show up and have a conversation with you. I think that opens doors for information sharing between locations that you don’t see many places,” says Tim.
Tim recalls knowing even in his interview how important learning and communication is at Jenner Ag. “My biggest takeaway during my first encounter with Jenner Ag was being told that the possibilities for personal and professional growth here are limitless,” he says. “That growth is largely possible because everybody is willing to learn something new; nobody comes to work with the attitude ‘I know everything.’ We realize that we can learn from one another, and we share information to better ourselves.”
James Fehr, VP of National Accounts, has been a proud member of the Jenner Nation for 21 years. He has held various positions within the company and continues to work toward a better future for the organization, its customers and the industry. James says he is proof of one of the greatest aspects of Jenner Ag. “The opportunities to grow at Jenner Ag are endless; I am a perfect example of that,” says James. “I started as an account manager associate, then became a senior account manager. From there, I went on to be a sales director and general manager. Now, I have the ability to get back into sales, managing relationships with our national accounts.”
James believes that Jenner Ag offers associates the room for growth if they are willing to put in the commitment and work it takes to achieve their goals. “We are big enough that we have those opportunities for advancement, but we are small enough you can communicate your desire to change positions, and we are always looking to grow within," said James.
“One of the most rewarding mantras I have taken away from my time at Jenner Ag was in the form of a saying I was taught: The ball never hits the ground,” James says. "What that means is that when we have a situation, there are always multiple people that step up, so that the ball never hits the ground.
“That is something I have personally experienced, whether it be when I had a situation that I couldn’t solve on my own and someone from our team helped me, or when I was able to step up and work with someone else to help them,” he explains. “The relationships we have with our customers are all possible due to the extraordinary team we have at Jenner Ag and the team members working behind the scenes to meet their exact needs.”
Joel Harmon says being a Field Service Technician at Jenner Ag isn’t like your average job – and he should know; he’s been doing it for 14 years. “I can be 200 miles from the main office on a normal day. Being that far away from management puts a lot of responsibility on the individual, which has helped me grow as my own person,” says Joel. “I am responsible for managing my time, truck, and the relationships I have with not only my customers, but my fellow coworkers. Being a self-motivated individual, this type of atmosphere is perfect for me.”
Joel’s favorite part of working at Jenner Ag is the trust given to its associates, and the service technicians in particular. “We don’t do the typical the service manager to service technician protocol here. Each technician deals directly with their customers instead of our managers being involved in every interaction,” he says. “This creates an environment where technicians can build a better level of trust with customers and operators.”
Joel believes the level of trust Jenner Ag allows customers to build with their service techs opens the door for better and stronger relationships. “Dealing directly with my customers and not having to work through a middle man has allowed me to call my customers friends. They have come to rely on my help and advice to get them through their work that needs to be done. Our communication and understanding with customers is all one-on-one, and that makes a difference in the way customers view Jenner Ag service technicians.
“We can do our jobs the way we know how, and they trust us to get the job done,” says Joel. “But, management is approachable if we need help or there is an issue. We are all on the same team, and you constantly see that. I really respect the way Jenner Ag runs. The transparency and open-book management creates more trust. We are never sidelined by some decision that comes out of the blue and affects the direction of the company. There is a sense of comfort in that,” says Joel. “Jenner Ag gives you the freedom to excel at your position, but the opportunity to constantly receive new training and ask management for help if you need it.”
Parts Director Jessica Armentrout has not only worked for Jenner Ag for a decade, she’s become a key component of the culture. Jessica is a part of the Jenner Ag Team, who through hard work and determination has made her way from Application parts specialist to leading the Ag Group’s parts department and has continued to strive to make Jenner Ag one of those extraordinary places to work. “Not many people can say that they wake up and have a place that makes them want to go into to work,” says Jessica. “Everybody at Jenner Ag is like a family, all working towards a common goal.”
She says one of the practices that makes Jenner Ag the company it has become is playing The Great Game of Business, an employee empowerment program and business driver. “We are taught to think and act like an owner. You can choose to go work and just do your job and perform while constantly going to the boss and asking for specific answers, or you can allow this game to teach you to think on your own and be a person to make decisions and understand why that decision is important. You learn how you can affect that bottom dollar each day,” Jessica says.
This practice helps each member of the company understand what is happening and how they can make an impact going forward. The Great Game of Business keeps employees well informed on the ins and outs of the company. “We all know day to day what we need to be focusing on, and that keeps everyone aligned on the same page. Jenner Ag keeps you in the loop, and this helps the employees stay interested in the company’s goals,” says Jessica.
Jessica says that after her years spent with Jenner Ag, the best advice she could give a new team member would be get involved and make yourself a part of the family. It will help you in your day-to-day activities. She believes Jenner Ag striving for each member of the team to be able to participate in various aspects of the company is what makes them a top contender in the agriculture world. “Jenner Ag isn’t like most normal companies; they choose not to keep you in the dark about what is happening,” Jessica says . “They want you to be aware, so you can make a difference.”
