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My Advantage Adventure
by Matt Sattler - Midwest Alta Advantage Consultant
It’s April 2002 and I find myself sitting behind a desk in an eight-story office building working for the State of Wisconsin in the liberal epicenter of the Upper Midwest - downtown Madison. Not the perfect fit for a capitalistic farm boy with long-term aspirations of owning/managing a progressive dairy business.
While perusing through the April Cattle Connection (the “bible” to fluffy tail farm boys like me), I notice a position posting for Alta as a Midwest Advantage Consultant. Being generally adverse to change, I finish reviewing the ads for upcoming spring sales and throw it aside and plan for my next mind-numbing day at the office.
Three weeks later and already past the application submission deadline, I decide to do some further investigation. I make some calls, get some further details and manage to get included in the interview schedule. In Watertown, I’m met by Pat McAllister, Kelli Cull, Dean Hermsdorf, Chuck Miller, and Sarah Nehls to interview for the position. The thought crosses my mind that this must be an important position or these Alta people must have a lot of free time on their hands (Don’t know the answer to that one yet!).
A day spent visiting herds with Kelli seals the deal and that is where the story really begins. As consultants, we climb a very steep learning curve; learning the intricacies of the position and figuring out who’s who and what’s what. As the program continues to evolve, I regularly experience new opportunities and challenges that keep me excited and invigorated about what I do. Today, I look back to three years ago and am amazed at the huge steps we have taken as a company to create and develop Advantage as the backbone of what we are as a company – ADVANTAGE IS WHO WE ARE!
Each and every day as an Advantage Consultant is different and unique. Three years ago my grasp of DairyComp 305 was limited to the fact that I faintly remembered looking at a cowcard while being educated at UW-Madison. Today, it’s not uncommon for me to be looked upon by one of my Advantage partners as a DC305 technical support specialist. It is these everyday challenges and opportunities that drive my success.
Through Advantage, Alta has created a network of internal and external partners that have a vested interest in the long-term success and viability of the company. Our Advantage partners are our allies in this highly competitive industry.
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Posted Jun 15th
