Lisa Nichols, senior manager of Issues and Reputation of Nutrien, reflects on her favorite parts of the the holiday season and of the seed industry.
Seed World: No.1 thing you look forward to during the holidays?
Lisa Nichols: Spending time with family; whether that’s going home to Pennsylvania, where I’m from, or making time with friends that have become family where I live in Colorado. Taking the time to catch up, check-in and reconnect with the people that I love is No. 1!
SW: Favorite travel destination?
LN: My favorite kind of travel involves the opportunity to explore a new place. The most recent new place I’ve visited was Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. It was amazing!
SW: One thing you’d never travel without?
LN: My camera.
SW: What’s one thing your personal background has taught you for your professional life?
LN: I know that the concept of leading by example started at home for me. I grew up in a close knit family where this was prevalent in everything I saw my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins doing-everywhere; at home, at work, in the community. I’ve been surrounded by this type of leadership throughout my career and I respect the approach very much, as well as try to emulate it.
SW: Tell us about how your new position is going! How are you liking it, and what are some new things you’re tackling?
LN: My new role with Nutrien sits with our corporate Sustainability & Stakeholder Relations group in the Issues and Reputation Management team. I’ve been in my new role since the beginning of September and have been downloading a lot of information! My career has afforded me the opportunity to continuously grow my knowledge and build upon past experience within the industry. This new role is an exciting next chapter for me in that regard. The biggest ‘new thing’ I’m tackling at the moment is that my scope has changed. For the first five years working for Nutrien I focused on our North American seed treatment product and seed portfolios. In this role I’ll be working on strategic issue management across our business globally.
SW: How do you feel moving out of the nitty-gritty portions of the seed industry? Anything you’ll miss?
LN: I’m pretty vocal about my passion for the seed industry; every part of it! While my day to day isn’t seed focused per se, the foundation that seed holds in every aspect of our industry, in almost every industry if you think about it, is very real. Just as real as it is in my personal foundation professionally. When roles change the thing I miss first are the people I have been fortunate enough to know, learn from and work beside. That being said, I think we’re all aware of how small the world, especially the seed world, is and I know that paths will continue to cross!
SW: What’s your top priority for 2020?
LN: Health is a top priority for 2020. It resonates across personal and professional borders for me. In order to show up and be the best version of yourself for anyone or anything in life, you have to maintain your health. Additionally, the role that agriculture plays in health is critical and I believe the focus on the role our industry plays will continue to hold center stage in 2020. Healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet, healthy 2020!
