As a youngster growing up on her grandfather’s farm in Crowder, Mississippi, Jennifer Williams never dreamed she would one day serve as the Chief Financial Officer for a six-billion-dollar agricultural company. It is there where she learned the value of hard work and gained appreciation for agriculture.
After graduating from Skyview Academy as the valedictorian, Williams attended the University of Mississippi in Oxford and majored in accounting. While in college, she was involved with several professional organizations that helped prepare her for her career. In addition, she continued to date her high school sweetheart David, who also attended Ole Miss and played football there. It was a bit of a fairytale relationship. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in only three and a half years, the two married and began their lives together.
Williams began her career in accounting in the booming Texas oil business. Moving away from home gave Jennifer and David the opportunity to grow independently and learn how to make decisions on their own as a married couple, she said.
After four years in Texas, Jennifer took on a new role in accounting with the WR Grace Company in Memphis. This is where her accounting career and love for agriculture crossed paths. In 1989, she joined Helena Chemical Company as a financial analyst and submerged herself in learning the financial details of the business. Jennifer often took on complex projects, such as implementing new technology.
“I worked hard to advance my skills with MS Excel in our company,” Williams said. “Because I worked hard to master this skill, it became my responsibility to teach others in accounting how to use this software.”
Williams added, “Education is key for all of us. We should never stop learning as adults, and I think the managers at Helena do a good job of encouraging all of us to continue to learn.”
While working full time for Helena, Williams passed her boards to become a Certified Public Accountant in 1994. Like many Executives at Helena, Jennifer has held several roles within the organization, while also mastering all aspects relating to the financial health of the organization. Since 1991, her roles have included Financial Reporting Manager, Inventory Accounting Manager, Assistant Controller and Controller. In 2016, Williams was promoted as the Chief Financial Officer by former CEO Mike McCarty.
As a working mother of three, and now the grandmother of four, Williams faced the same challenges many working parents face today – balancing work and family.
“Time management is key,” Williams said. “You have to balance many things and it is critical to surround yourself with positive people that support you. Being the only woman in the board room can often be a little bit intimidating, but over the years, I have learned to distinguish myself by being empathetic and also giving attention to details. In addition, I was very fortunate to work with men that really knew the industry, and I knew that by asking questions, they would teach me a lot about the business.”
Jennifer’s advice to young women getting started in the business is to have confidence and be willing to learn. It is also very important to look for the good in every situation.
“When I first got started in the business, I took up golf so that I could fit in with many of the guys,” Williams said. “The truth is, I am really not that great, but I surprised myself and fell in love with the sport.
“I hate to admit it, but I also learned a lot of life lessons from being married to a coach for 39 years,” Williams added with a grin. Williams said there is a lot to be said about being a part of a team. David had to motivate his players and get the best out of them to be successful. She learned from his experience as well.
As an organization, Helena is still growing, and Williams is very involved in acquisitions across the United States. The new management team has initiatives including incorporating technology into the employee experience, and taking data and making it actionable through the use of Microsoft Power BI. She is a big proponent in helping Helena work smarter across all areas of the business.
“I love change but it brings difficulties,” Williams said. “When I started at Helena, we were a 500-million-dollar company, and now we are a six-billion-dollar organization with nearly 6,000 employees.
“I can’t recall a time when I said to myself that I wanted to be the CFO,” she added. “I just wanted to do the best job I could. Now, as CFO, I have a responsibility to the company to give a lot of thought to succession planning. It would be negligent for me not to help prepare the next generation. I take that responsibility very seriously.”
Williams believes Helena is in a strong position as a company. The company has always valued the importance of a strong Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). This value has been passed along to all areas of Helena. She believes it is very important to communicate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with the entire team in order to ensure we make solid business decisions at the farm gate.
“Over the years, we have continued to do the right things with capital, and we have always stay focused on our customers and employees,” Williams said. “It’s something that makes me proud to be a Helena employee.”
She added, “While my Grandfather wasn’t alive to see me excel in my agriculture career, he would be proud that I found my home in agriculture.”