Fair Oaks Farms
 Michael Thompson, President & CEO
Fair Oaks Farms is supplier to some of the world’s best-known restaurant chains, and food and retail companies with quality custom meats. Since 1985, Fair Oaks has used custom product research and development to produce high-volume production and international shipping as a meat supplier.
As a Walmart supplier of meat for the Great Value brand, the Community Partners newsletter team took time to learn more from Mike Thompson, president and CEO, Fair Oaks Farms. Describe your typical workday. My day starts with a manager’s conference first thing every morning to review the previous day’s production results and plan for the upcoming day’s runs. I walk the manufacturing floor as often as I can because the most important asset we have is our people. Management’s presence sends a strong message that I care about them and the job they are doing. The remainder of my day focuses on our customers, quality and safety “every day.” My job is to strategically manage the company. How did you become a supplier to Walmart? A local company we knew, Blackwood Industries, introduced us to the Walmart buying group. Our first pitch was exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. I have so much respect for Walmart. The meeting went very well and we are now going on our fifth year of providing great quality products. How has your partnership with Walmart enhanced your business? My partnership with Walmart has greatly enhanced our business. Our employees are Walmart shoppers and find it very rewarding to be able to purchase products at Walmart that they helped produce.
Supplying Walmart is a prestigious honor and we tell our Walmart story to everyone. Since Walmart is always on the cutting edge of efficiency and customer service, it helps us to also stay on the cutting edge of those attributes. What’s the major factor in the success of running your business? I worked for almost 20 years with McDonald’s Corporation in various operations and supply chain positions. I really feel my experience there helped formulate my leadership skills to become an entrepreneur and run my company. Name one important skill you’ve learned along the way that has helped most in your professional growth. I learned to reach out and ask for help. This is one of the most important skills I learned in my life. I was once advised, “Smart people don’t wait for someone to mentor them; they ask to be mentored.” For additional information on Michael Thompson and Fair Oaks Farms, visit www. Fairoaksfarms.com.
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