Dean Williams grew up on a farm in Louisiana and found his way to agriculture through retail. He’s spent more than 20 years selling crop protection, procuring supplies and managing ag retail warehouses and distribution businesses.
His resume includes strategic leadership stints at Nutrien/UAP, Simplot Grower Solutions, Pinnacle Agriculture and Terral Seed. He has a track record of growing businesses, optimizing profitability and navigating market challenges.
His southern roots and strong work ethic have helped him create winning teams throughout his career. He joined FBN in July to help grow crop protection sales via the company’s digital online storefront.
Q: What do you like about working in ag retail?
A: I’ve always been passionate about the agricultural industry. Having grown up on a farm in Louisiana, I’ve always wanted to do something that makes life better for farmers. As I worked in the industry and figured out all of the moving parts, it’s been a renewed focus. Things in the retail channel are too expensive, and I’ve always thought it was very inefficient. That is what drives me. I think we need to make the industry a lot more efficient for our farmers and for suppliers as well.
Q: What’s your leadership style?
A: I’m a person who’s very passionate and very direct, probably to a fault. My style is to be open and transparent. But, when I take a new role, I want to come in and find out what the business is about, listen to the customers, figure out their needs and how we can service them. I like to build a process or a model we can implement. Then it’s about getting the right people on the team and in the right positions. I try to be very open about what the goal is and where we’re headed. I believe if we can get all their cleats pointed in the right direction and heading toward the goal, it will take us toward success.
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: Be willing to embrace change. I got that advice early on, and I think it’s where a lot of people struggle. This world’s always changing, and the ag industry is no different. You have to get ahead of change. The puck’s always moving, and you want to stay ahead of the puck, so that means skate to where the puck is going and not where it’s sitting today. For me, this new position at FBN is about skating to where the puck is going.
Q: What advice do you have for others getting into the agricultural business?
A: It’s a great industry, and I don’t know that I’ve ever had a bad day. I’ve had a few bad moments, but I’ve never had a really bad day. It’s a lot of fun. This business is about building a puzzle and then putting that puzzle together. You have to know your farmers, know the people you call on, understand the area, understand what it means to grow and just do the best you can every day. Farmers like the human touch. They like to have fun, but they also like good advice. Always bring good advice to the farm when you go because they really don’t want you to show up just to see them. They want you to show up with information because their time is valuable. Be willing to explore new ideas and, as I said, be willing to change.
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