Kelli Eickhoff, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Megan Belcher, Senior Vice President, and Chief Legal & External Affairs Officer, Paul Maass, CEO and Andy Kenny, Senior Vice President and Chief Finance Officer at Scoular
Scoular, an employee-owned agribusiness spanning 100-plus offices and 1,200-plus associates in North America and Asia, is embarking on its 130th year within a new global headquarters at 13660 California Street in Omaha. The headquarters is home to around 130 employees – roughly double the local headcount reported five years ago – well, at least on […]
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Scoular, an employee-owned agribusiness spanning 100-plus offices and 1,200-plus associates in North America and Asia, is embarking on its 130th year within a new global headquarters at 13660 California Street in Omaha.
The headquarters is home to around 130 employees – roughly double the local headcount reported five years ago – well, at least on a Monday to Wednesday schedule anyway.
“We felt it was important to create enough space for all employees to be in the office at the same time,” said Kelli Eickhoff, senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “Our hybrid work schedule provides for three days in the office … and employees can choose if they’d like to work from home or at the office on Thursday and Fridays.”
Eickhoff continued: “Having all of us together on Mondays through Wednesdays enables all the benefits of working side by side. The back part of the week allows for personal flexibility, with technology enabling productive virtual offices and teamwork.”
Now a $6 billion employee-owned organization with self-described “solutions for customers at every step in the agricultural supply chain,” Scoular’s history predates the Spanish-American War and the sinking of the Titanic. The supply chain giant got its start in 1892, by George Scoular, as Scoular Grain & Lumber Co. of Superior, Nebraska. Through the years, the company has acquired several terminal and country elevators, expanded its footprint across the country and around the globe, shifted to merchandising and distribution, entered into the feed ingredients and byproducts marketing space, and established itself as an early adopter of clean label solutions by beginning to trade identity-preserved grain and soybeans, and receiving its organic certification in 1994.
The creation of new business units in food and pet food ingredients, the purchase of a river terminal and entrance into the renewable fuels market, the expansion of its global capabilities in special crops, pulses and associated specialty food ingredients would follow between 1998 to 2015. More recent notables include the launch of Petsource in 2019, a strategic focus on Asia-Pacific with new leadership in the region (also in 2019) and the launch of Roger in 2020. Described by Scoular as an independent technology company that provides digital tools to shippers and carriers in the dry bulk truck freight industry, Roger is reportedly the brainchild of several major agricultural forces partnering with Scoular.
This rich and lengthy history has been integrated into the three-story space, which was reimagined by Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture and also enlisted the expertise of local partners Sampson Construction, Ervin & Smith, and Sheppard’s Business Interiors. For instance, the new office features a 35-foot backlit wall showcasing George Scoular and growth and innovation over time.
“We started to evaluate options for a new global headquarters in February 2020,” Chief Financial Officer Andy Kenny recalled. “That endeavor was prompted by our company strategy, specifically two of our five strategic pillars: collaborating to drive stakeholder value and evolving our culture.”
Scoular entry (Photo courtesy of Scoular)
Additionally, Kenny noted, Scoular’s strategy aspires to achieve double-digit growth each year resulting in increased talent needs, particularly in Omaha. This led to the need for a new and expanded space to accommodate such growth.
A nod to its engagement with employees in the design of the new and expanded space, Eickhoff said they heard four key things from employees about what they wanted in the headquarters: a welcoming and collaborative environment, open and visually-connected surroundings, incorporation of the latest in smart technologies, and an embrace of the Scoular heritage and brand.
Chief Executive Officer Paul Maass also highlighted how Scoular employees demonstrated inclusion, collaboration, and perseverance in the planning of its new headquarters space.
“I am so proud of not only what we’ve all accomplished throughout our 100-plus-year legacy,” he said. “But, especially during the significant disruption of the pandemic.”
Maass largely referenced how the building represents a commitment to invest back in the organization.
“It’s important to provide a high-performance, collaborative and flexible space where everyone feels included and can do their best work,” he said. “I’m also proud that Scoular continues to call Omaha home and that we’ve made this investment in our community.”
Maass continued: “Scoular, like other inspirational business leaders in Omaha, works passionately and tirelessly to make Omaha a vibrant place to work and live.”
Scoular office (Photo courtesy of Scoular)
When asked about words of wisdom for those readers who are considering reinvestments in spaces to support existing and future talent, Eickhoff said “smart employers can’t go wrong investing in their people.”
“Hybrid work environments are here to stay, and they mix the best of both worlds,” she said. “The pandemic taught us to think creatively and innovatively in how we work, including regular work from home. There’s also huge benefit in face-to-face collaboration, building relationships, and culture creation that would be lost in 100% remote work. Creating a great common space enables those things, making a difference in employees’ work satisfaction and having a direct impact on the bottom line.”
