Ricelander Spotlight - Jackie Phillips
Stuttgart Rice Division is a maze of milling equipment, rice sorters, and warehouse space. What most people don’t know is that all of Riceland’s consumer packaged goods are produced at the Stuttgart plant. At the heart of production, one woman is key to the cooperative's daily success of getting product ready for customer order fulfillment.
Jackie Phillips is the Assistant Production Scheduler, and she is responsible for making sure customer orders are filled on time and in full by managing the order calendar and coordinating with the rest of the production team and the packaging room to fill products across the Riceland portfolio. After 33 years, Jackie makes it look easy, and her team relies on her to make the best decisions so they can produce the correct products for the long list of orders waiting to be filled.
"Jackie makes the difficult and confusing to be easy and understandable,” said Scott Lindsey, Stuttgart Rice Division manager. “She's calm in the middle of a storm."
"Ms Jackie is a very dependable worker. Jackie knows all aspects pertaining to her job and does a great job scheduling,” said Gus Terry, Riceland’s assistant packaging superintendent. “Jackie is very organized and helps keep everything running smoothly. She's always willing to help other employees. Jackie has great attendance. We would be lost without her."
“Jackie has been an instrumental part of the Packaging Department for several years,” said Mike Sullivan, director of warehousing, packaging and shipping. “She is smart and steadfast. She truly is a blessing to work with."
"Jackie does a great job multitasking in the fast paced environment of the Packing Department," said Amy Lisko, packaging superintendent.
Jackie is Riceland’s 2022 Grow Good Award Employee of the Year. Nominated by one of her peers, Jackie represented the Stuttgart Rice Division as its finalist for the award. Phillips was announced the winner of Employee of the Year at the Riceland Annual Meeting in November.
“Growing for Good” is a mantra we strive to attain each day, and the Grow Good Award is the standard of excellence we hold for our team members. This prestigious award is given to the team members that go above and beyond. They have an outstanding work ethic, always take time to help others, maintain a positive attitude, represent Riceland well inside and outside the workplace and just add good to everything they do.
"I've worked with Ms Jackie for many years now. She's a caring, funny, always a hard worker, and an opinionated woman,” said Clay Keaton, assistant scheduler. “She's always willing to help others out even if she's busy or before herself. I thank God for letting me get to work with a woman of faith, family and friends. God bless you, Ms. Jackie!"
“Jackie epitomizes everything good about Riceland. One of the kindest people you will ever meet. I’m not sure ‘no’ is in her vocabulary,” said Mark Holt, vice president of sales and marketing. “She’ll say ‘I’m not sure how we will do it, but we will find a way.’ Humble, friendly, hardworking, and a laugh that could cure diseases. She makes me want to do better and be a better person.”