Seminar for the Research Leader Position in the Grain Quality and Structure Research Unit

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Seminar for the Research Leader Position in the
Grain Quality and Structure Research Unit
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Who is Tom Herald and does he possess the skills
necessary for the Research Leader position?
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Personal Background

• Born in Carson City, Michigan
• Youngest of seven children
• Married with two children

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Education and Professional Experiences

• Earned BS, MS and Ph.D degrees in Food
  Science from Michigan State University
• Peace Corps Volunteer
• Swaziland, Southern Africa
• Employed at Yoplait USA and Kelloggs

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Kansas State University

• Employed for 16 years
• Professor Food Chemistry
• General Responsibilities at K-State
• Teaching
• Research
• Extension
• Additional Contributions
• Director, Food Science Graduate Program
• Faculty Senate

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Specific Responsibilities

• Teaching/Advising
• Food chemistry courses
• Serve as a major professor and mentor.
• Research
• Research has been a mix of basic and applied
  projects encompassing chemical and physical
  analysis.
• Extension/Service
• KS food companies and entrepreneurs

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Research Accomplishments

• Research
• Graduate Students Completed
• 17 M.S.
• 8 Ph.D.
• Current number of Graduate Students
• 4 M.S. on-campus
• 15 M.S. distance
• Services on Graduate Students Committees
• 44 M.S.
• 43 Ph.D.
• Publications approximately 58 peer reviewed
• Presentations 75 at professional meetings
• Funded Research approximately 1.7 M

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The mission of the Grain Marketing and Production
Research Center (GMPRC) is to "Conduct innovative
research and develop new technologies to solve
problems relating to natural resources
conservation and the production, harvesting,
storage, marketing, and utilization of grain to
ensure a safe, abundant, and high quality grain
supply."
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The mission of the Grain Quality and Structure
Research Unit, which includes the Hard Winter
Wheat Quality Laboratory, is to ensure a high
quality and safe U.S. grain supply for our
customers by (1) conducting basic and applied
research to identify the physical characteristics
and structural/biochemical components that govern
quality (2) developing rapid, precise, and
accurate predictive technologies for quality
assessment and (3) evaluating the end-use
quality of breeding lines.     
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Skills required for the RL position

• Research Competent
• Good Interpersonal skills
• Good listening skills
• Willing to make a difference
• Positive force
• Advocate for the unit
• Inspiring
• Meet deadlines
• Decisive
• Encourage innovation and interdisciplinary work

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Experiences I bring to the position

• Food Science Graduate Program Director
• Over six years experience
• Provide guidance to approximately 50 faculty and
  100 graduate students
• Faculty are distribute amongst five colleges and
  eleven departments
• Resolve disputes with students and faculty.
• Responsible for filing all the paper work
  required by either University, State or Federal
  Agencies.

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Experiences I bring to the position

• Faculty Senate
• Faculty Senate represents the interest of over
  2500 faculty and unclassified employees
• Positions held within Faculty Senate
• Salaries and Benefits (innovative ideas)
• Chair of Academic Affairs Committee
• Chair of University Planning
• President (three year commitment)
• Significantly involved in grievance hearings
  and dispute resolutions

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Experiences I bring to the position

• Faculty Advisor to the Call Hall Dairy plant
• Responsibility included overseeing the
  processing and retail operations.
• Managed 4 full-time state employees and a
  number of part-time student workers.
• Processing Operations
• Processed ice cream, cheese, butter, milk
• Retail Operations
• Outlet for dairy products to the public,
  dorms, restaurants, Greek System,and a mobile
  unit on campus.

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Management Style

• Take care of the day-to-day operations
• Listen and communicate
• Build consensus and make decisions as required
• Empower others and support them

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Leadership Skills

• Communication Integrity
• Lead by example Competent
• Focus Initiative
• Listen Responsible
• Positive Attitude Problem Solver
• Self-Discipline Transparent
• Not intimidate to address sensitive issues

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Leadership Style

• Clear vision for the future
• Strategic planning to realize vision
• High expectations
• Serve others and lead by example

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Ways I handle conflict resolution

• Show concern to all parties
• Address each issue with a sense of urgency
• Listen to all sides of the issue
• Follow policy and procedures
• Be caring and understanding to all
• Be fair
• Be honest
• Be frank about the issues to the grievant and
  respondent
• Express no favoritism

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Why do I want the RL Position?

• Professionally
• Personally

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Challenges to any organizations

• Keep focused on the mission
• Recruitment and retention
• Maintain a sense of collegiality
• Make sure all contribute
• Ensure all are recognized for their
  contribution
• Keep visible

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Visibility of the unit outside this building

• Validate that the current mission and plan is
  consistent with the needs of the stakeholders.
• Continue strong ties to State and National
  Commodity Commissions
• (wheat and sorghum)
• Engage with the professional organizations
• (AIB, K-State, AACC)
• Strengthen ties with industrial partners
  (MGP, Wenger, Kelloggs)
• Efforts must be focused to synergize with
  stakeholders.

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Consumers are The DRIVING FORCE
Consumer Advocates
Health Professions
Fortune 500
Marketing
Grain Quality and Structure Research Unit
Kansas State University
Producers
TE CSI BRI BIVAP
breeding
Milling
Chemical Analysis
Value Added
Technology Transfer Entrepreneur
Other Cooperating Partners
Other Cooperating Partners
National Agencies
Industry
State Agencies
International Agencies
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Immediate Tasks

• Talk individually with each member of the unit
• Look for low hanging fruit
• Affirm current mission statement
• Re-evaluate current strategic plan
• Does the plan coincide with mission?
• Determine the type of research scientist(s)
  needed to fulfill the mission and plan.

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I believe that my experiences and skills are
those that are required in a Research Leader
within the Unit.
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?QUESTIONS?