Growing up in southern Oklahoma, Ryan LeGrand has a lifelong connection to agriculture. After graduating with a degree in International Business from Oklahoma State, he started a career as a grain trader and exporter. That passion led him to the U.S. Grains Council, first working in the Council’s Mexico office and for the past five years as its president and CEO. His job is to develop relationships and export markets for major grain farmers in the U.S.
Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
A: I’ve never been a micromanager, and I’ve always believed that a company should hire competent people with a positive attitude, give them the tools to succeed and then get out of their way. I follow the philosophy attributed to the co-founder of Southwest Airlines, and that’s hire for attitude then train for skill. If a person is motivated with a positive attitude that can and will help your company succeed.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: When it comes to leadership, my advice is very simple: be firm but fair. It’s something one of my mentors told me on many occasions. He led with a clear vision of where he wanted to take the company but defaulted to empathy and compassion when it came to dealing with the teams that worked with and for him.
Q: What is the most challenging part of running an international organization?
A: There are a lot of priorities that take precedence over agriculture and national security is understandably at the top of that list. There’s a case to be made that strong trade ties enhance our national security. I think making sure every administration fully understands the importance of ag exports will be a big challenge.
Q: What are your favorite business tools?
A: This is going to sound funny, but the old-fashioned telephone, when it’s used for its original purpose of talking, is my favorite. I’d much prefer a phone call over text messages, and I think it’s easier to come to an understanding through real conversation. My number two business tool is the network sharing, document sharing capability that we have across this organization.
Q: What do you consider success?
A: Success is when we achieve our goals and our objectives, but it’s also when we’ve done that as a team. When everyone in the company feels like they contributed and like they have a voice that’s been heard, then that is success to me.
Q: Advice for people just starting an agricultural career?
A: When it comes to those that are just getting started in their career, you don’t necessarily have to follow your passion. If you have a passion that motivates you more than anything on this earth, then go do that. If not, go do what’s going to make you the most money. Whatever that is may or may not turn into your passion, but hopefully you’re able to establish yourself financially. Exporting grain for 15 years was not really my passion, but it allowed me to become financially stable. That then led to this current role as CEO of the U.S. Grains Council, which is something I’m extremely passionate about.
Meet another leader in ag: R.G. Lamar, CEO of Stuckey’s Corporation and chairman of the Georgia Pecan Commission
