_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Lone
Star Bakery
Technology shapes the business today, but Tracy’ s leadership roots go back to those early days on the production floor.“ Working on the floor in different departments gave me the chance to learn from people who were true experts. They mentored me and showed me how every piece of the business works. That hands-on experience, and watching how our teams work together, really shaped me as a leader.” Her approach still reflects those lessons, even as the workforce has grown far beyond what it was when she started as a teenager. Tracy adds,“ I try to lead with compassion and remember that we’ re all human. It gets harder to keep that family-business culture as we grow, but we’ re committed to it.”
That family spirit even has four legs. Harvey, Lone Star’ s unofficial Chief Morale Officer, spends his days at the front desk with the receptionist, greeting guests and delivery
drivers and offering employees a quick dose of therapy whenever they need it.
Product innovation
After more than 20 years with Lone Star, Director of Sales Dave Sumner has built a network of customer relationships that keeps opening new doors. Many opportunities come their way because customers already know how the company operates. Dave notes,“ There’ s not a lot of red tape here. We have a small team involved in decisions, so we can get to the key issues quickly and figure out if we can move forward with a project.”
Rather than leading with a product idea, Lone Star starts by understanding how its customers operate. Dave explains,“ We’ ve gotten in the habit of learning what equipment our customers use. That helps us design products that fit their format and make things easier for them.”
A
smarter recipe for connected, AI-powered operations
Crowe helps food manufacturers bring production, inventory, supply chain, and financials together with NetSuite ERP- creating the AI-driven visibility needed to grow confidently.
Learn more about our services >
foodchainmagazine. com 39