Hollee Alexander likes to see planning come together for a successful conclusion, and she has had plenty of opportunities to see the fruits of her hard work.
Alexander, vice president of industry relations and events for the National Potato Council, has invested 20 years with the group.
She said she loves working with growers, a key part of her job.
“The potato industry is really a community,” she said. “I am grateful to have found a place within it.” She describes her leadership style as “democratic.”
“As a leader, I find success through elevating and recognizing the efforts of the people around me,” she said. “I prefer to be strategic in the implementation of new ideas and recognize the ever-changing need to be and do more for the members that I work for.”
Coming together
Alexander said one of her main roles at NPC is to produce the Potato Expo, the industry’s annual convention and trade show.
“After months, even years, of planning each show, watching the industry come together and reconnect at a Potato Expo is very rewarding,” she said. “I love knowing I am doing a small part in helping to foster those connections that will strengthen our industry.”
Alexander came to the industry with a trade association background, having worked previously at the Food Marketing Institute before starting with the NPC in 2002. “I am a huge potato fan, so thought it would be a great fit,” she said. “Little did I know I would still be in the potato industry 20 years later.”
Alexander credits NPC CEO Kam Quarles and Chief Operating Officer Mike Wenkel as two of her biggest advocates.
“I have known both of them before they started at the NPC and they have always encouraged creativity and are supportive of new ideas and ways of doing things,” she said.
COVID changes
The COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 ushered in new challenges for all organizations, and Alexander said the lessons were lasting.
“We can’t be afraid of change, and the way that NPC was forced to respond to the COVID pandemic has provided us the opportunity to look at everything from top to bottom,” she said. “Nothing will be the same as it was before March 2020, and we should embrace new opportunities that those changes provided those of us who manage organizations.”
In particular, Alexander said she learned flexibility through the pandemic.
“Everything changed overnight for everyone,” she said. “How things were done before didn’t matter. We had to forge a new path. I would have never imagined we would have to hold the Potato Expo virtually, along with virtual meetings for our committees, board of directors and our fly-in where we met virtually with members of Congress.”
Even though the pandemic is seen by many as being in the rearview mirror, Alexander said the lessons learned are now a part of the organization’s skill set.
Quarles said Alexander has a “rare mix of creativity and the ability to effectively execute on her vision.”
“Hollee is also highly flexible in how she deals with challenges,” Quarles said. “Over the past 24 months, we have seen the largest Potato Expo ever in Las Vegas, followed by Hollee having to create a virtual expo from scratch due to COVID, and finally one of the first in-person conventions in Anaheim that was challenged by omicron. She pulled each one of these vastly different events off with amazing efficiency and made them high-quality experiences for everyone.”
When asked about what advice she would give to young women just entering the industry, Alexander said a work ethic comes first.
“All of the hard work and dedication you’ve invested to get to where you are today has helped to establish your place in the industry, and that can never be taken away from you,” she said. “You are just as deserving as anyone else who has worked hard in this industry. Continue to persevere through both the good times and the times where there is opportunity for growth — you are paving the way for the next generation of women in the industry.”
