MEET JILL EWERT, ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS ANALYST II
Meet Jill Ewert, Analyst II in Accounting Systems at Foremost Farms and recent recipient of the Udder Excellence Silo Breaker Award. Jill led the successful dissolution of the Greenville Venture Partners entity, streamlining operations by transitioning Greenville to plant status. Her work saved Finance hours, reduced the workload for EverAg and eliminated two bank accounts.
In just six weeks, Jill organized and led cross-functional meetings to fully understand the impacted systems and processes, clearly outlining the steps needed to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH FOREMOST FARMS?
I joined the cooperative in 1996 on a temporary assignment and became a full-time employee with Foremost Farms in 1997.
PLEASE DESCRIBE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR ROLE WITHIN FOREMOST FARMS:
My role has allowed me to build strong relationships with teams across the company. In addition to collaborating and supporting an awesome finance team, I also get the opportunity to collaborate with many other teams with system support, and enhancement of process and controls within their areas. By providing support, I can help others reach their goals and be successful in their endeavors.
WHAT ORIGINALLY BROUGHT YOU TO FOREMOST FARMS AND WHAT HAS KEPT YOU HERE?
I originally came to Foremost Farms as part of a team assisting with the installation of their first Oracle technology environment. I was offered a year-long opportunity to work on this project and with my love of technology, data, and finance, I felt it was worth taking the chance to expand my knowledge.
I was later offered a full-time position and was excited to accept. The people, culture and values truly make Foremost Farms a great place to work. The teamwork here is phenomenal – employees collaborate and support one another to achieve company goals. As a company, we face many challenges, we learn from them and apply the solutions going forward.
YOU RECENTLY RECEIVED THE SILO BREAKER AWARD AS PART OF THE 2025 UDDER EXCELLENCE AWARDS. WHAT DOES THIS RECOGNITION MEAN TO YOU?
It really meant a lot to me to be chosen for this award. It reminded me how appreciated and recognized my work is, and it motivates me to continue going above and beyond.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO STEP UP AND LEAD THE GREEVILLE VENTURE PARTNERS ENTITY DISSOLUTION?
I felt this project would be both challenging and rewarding, offering a chance to strengthen my skills while building connections with colleagues across the cooperative. I had been a part of the Greenville entity’s creation from the beginning and work with many of the team members on an ongoing basis and wanted to see it through to completion. It felt like the final chapter of an epic journey.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE?
When we decided to create a new organization for Greenville under Foremost Farms operating unit in Oracle, there was some nervous energy – we hadn’t migrated an organization to a new facility code since 2018. I learned that when you want to move a mountain, you need a team. Clear communication, coordination, listening, and staying focused on the end goal were critical to the project’s success.
LOOKING BACK, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN HOW THE TRANSITION WAS HANDLED?
I’m most proud of the teamwork and support across all areas. Even when we encountered hurdles, everyone stayed committed through the end. The project timeline was met and the cutover went very smoothly. My goal was to limit interruption to the company, and I feel that it was accomplished.