Cat Frans
Executive Director at Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA)
Hometown: Midland, TX but has lived in Jonesboro for the last 9 years
Briefly describe your role:
As the Executive Director, I run the day to day for the association while scouring to bring more benefits to our members. My members are Independent Seed Companies mainly in the Midwest that deal with corn and soybean for the most part and then those who support seed companies. IPSA brings benefits to these seed companies in the way of health insurance options, employee retention, seed trials, education pieces, buying programs and business services – and most importantly, advocacy.
Q: What's your favorite part of your position?
A: My favorite part of IPSA is that we are making a difference for our members. Our seed companies are a lot of times several generations into ownership and in rural areas – so our companies are staples in their small towns. Small family farms account for 90% of all farms in the US and make up a huge portion of employment in Small Town America. So being able to actually benefit these companies that are vital in their communities and in the entire industry is so rewarding. Also, the relationships I’ve created working in the industry are so great.
Q: What motivates you to achieve success in your career?
A: This can be personal and/or professional. Professionally, our industry has seen a lot of consolidation over the last years and agriculture is so vital. So, my motivation comes from seeing the actual impact we have, not only for our small niche of the industry, but for agriculture as a whole. Personally, just showing our kids that you can make a difference and accomplish anything you set your heart and mind to – but I don’t just do this with my work, I also volunteer locally for a wonderful non-profit that makes a huge difference in the lives of kids in the community.
Q: Describe a challenge you've overcome in this role.
A: This is probably mostly self-inflicted. Agriculture is largely male-dominated and a lot of times I’m the youngest person in the room. So, I always challenge myself to be knowledgeable about any subject we are dealing with. My CEO is phenomenal – if there’s a new policy or technology we are dealing with I can always ask him to explain it to me in depth and he will cut time out of his day to “white board” it for me.
Q: What led you to your career path?
A: Growing up, I never imagined that I would end up in the ag industry. My dad was in oil and my mom was big in the fitness industry and I grew up in West Texas, not necessarily the ag meca of the world. It really was just all happenstance, the CEO, Todd Martin happened upon me for the Marketing and Communications role back in 2015 and my passion for agriculture really blossomed from that. Now, I cannot imagine myself doing anything else.
Q: What has been a defining moment in your life?
A: Last August, I was recognized by Seed World magazine as one of their Top 10 Next Gen Leaders – it was like confirmation of everything I’ve been trying to accomplish was recognized. Of course, my members see it and my friends see it – but it was nice to know that others see it, too. So it was an extra pump of motivation for me to keep on swimming (as Dory says) and continue on with fighting to make a difference.
Q: What opportunities for growth do you think women have in your field?
A: Oh, I think the possibilities are endless. I know women in strong roles within the industry already and I think it’s amazing. IPSA gives out scholarships every year, up to $20,000 to students and most of our recipients are female. I love to watch them attend our annual conference and make connections to our members – a lot of times they’ll intern with one of our companies and end up working there.
Q: Who has influenced your career?
A: First, my husband, James, fully supports my career – I travel quite a bit and with three kids and too many dogs that’s not always the easiest. But he is always supportive of me and cheers me on. And then there’s my CEO, Todd Martin. He’s just plain awesome! He is always empowering me professionally and rooting me on. He challenges me on things and gives me the room to figure it out for myself but is always there for my million questions.
Q: What advice do you have for women in your field?
A: For those getting into the industry, my best advice is find a mentor. Find someone that will always have your back and be able to chat through whatever professional issues you may come across. Having a strong mentor or a “work bestie” is good for the soul. But overall, for women in ag – go us! We are making waves and there’s so many strong women in ag already – there’s just going to be more.
