Reflections on the Future When you face a major transition, like my impending retirement after a 35-year career, there’s a natural inclination — even an expectation — that you should spend time on nostalgia and reflection. While it’s fun to look back on accomplishments, adventures and great friendships, I find myself spending far more time thinking about the future. Not only my own plans to spend more time with my family and explore new ways I can contribute to the world, but the bright future I see for CHS and its stakeholders. The world-renowned Harvard Business School recently focused on CHS for a graduate student case study. The team at Harvard wanted to know how CHS, a company structured as a producer-owned cooperative, could achieve such tremendous growth in earnings, revenues and success, which is shared with stakeholders. We talked about our company’s history, particularly the 12 years since CHS was created. It became very clear to me that the core foundation upon which we’ve built our success will continue to be the platform upon which future success will be built. That doesn’t mean CHS won’t continue to change. In fact, CHS must change to keep adding value for member-owners and other stakeholders. That doesn’t mean we won’t come up against outside forces through which we must navigate, including markets, weather, global political upheaval and more. Those forces are a given in business today, and I predict they will only grow in scope, speed and impact. What it does mean is that it’s essential to remain grounded as an organization and hold firm to the tenets that have made this cooperative a successful, global energy, grains and foods company. It’s our clear vision and mission. It’s our courage to take well-considered risks. And, most of all, it’s commitment to our values and to doing the right things for the right reasons every day. As a new leadership team takes the helm, I know all of these factors, combined with our commitment to balance sheet strength, comprehensive strategic planning and talent development, will provide CHS with the solid foundation from which to build a great future. John Johnson President and CEO CHS Shaping Our Vision For the past three years, more than 100 CHS management team members, along with the CHS board of directors, have dedicated hundreds of hours to our 2020 Vision project. I’m proud that this effort has resulted in far more than a catchy name and a fat three-ring binder that gathers dust on a shelf. Today we have a new way of assessing and planning for the future, no matter what surprises it may deliver. Just as important, we now have a consistent approach to evaluating and planning for this diverse and growing organization and for appropriately investing in future and current businesses. And we know where we’re going. We’ve identified five directional goals, what we call aspirations, which are the framework for our continued efforts to deliver on our vision and mission. We aspire to: • Be a producer-focused business able to provide farmers and ranchers with full-service solutions, including products, services and financing through local retail outlets. It’s how you plan, execute and navigate change — and stay true to your values. 4 November/December 2010
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Reflections On The Future
John Johnson
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