Iowa National Guard's Patriot Award

Honored. Appreciated. Speechless. That’s how gilt development supervisor Tysen Abell describes how he felt when he was surprised with the Iowa National Guard’s Patriot Award from his GDU manager, Trevor Spencer. Trevor, who is a member of the Iowa National Guard, is the manager of G046 Priest farm located near Diagonal.

“I nominated Tysen as a way to say thank you for supporting me in so many ways,” said Trevor. “He’s spent time teaching me and developing me as a manager, and is part of the team that covers my work when I take time off to drill.

Trevor is a member of the HHC 1-168th Infantry Battalion based in Council Bluffs, where he drills one weekend a month and then a two-week time period once a year. He and his wife, Jasmin, have two young children.

According to the Iowa National Guard, the Patriot Award reflects the efforts of supervisors like Tysen, who allows for flexible schedules and time off prior to and after deployment. But according to Trevor, it’s more than that. “We don’t get to recognize our supervisors very often, usually they are the ones recognizing us for our farm’s performance or for the improvements we’ve made,” said Trevor. “But this was one way I could say thanks and show him how much I appreciate him.”

Trevor was recognized just last month as a multiplication grower manager, earning a top five spot in the SelectPride ranking for quarter one. “Trevor has worked really hard,” said Tysen. “He is always asking questions, takes notes during meetings and is absorbing as much as he can so he can get better.”

Trevor surprised Tysen with the award at the Priest site with the help of production well-being specialist Jessica Rosener, who was auditing Trevor’s farm that day. Last month we invited Trevor to present the award to him a second time in front of his fellow managers and leaders attending the May Production Management Meeting, to which Tysen received an immediate and well-deserved standing ovation. #billionplus

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