Guest Author
Julie Krivanek, President & CEO of Krivanek Consulting
Krivanek Consulting is a leading strategic thinking and planning, management consulting and M&A firm working with C-suites, Boards of Directors, executives, and investors across the fresh food and produce industries.
More About Julie Krivanek
What on earth was a graduate of both Purdue’s Krannert School of Management and the Columbia University Executive Development program doing in the bottom of a coal mine? The easy answer is you have to go inside an organization to find out what’s really going on. And if that means descending into a mine, so be it.
Julie’s never been afraid of hard work. Even though she holds a Masters of Special Studies from the University of Denver, summa cum laude, nothing takes the place of first hand experience.
But you can imagine how happy her mother was when she decided to trade mining for the produce industry. And not just because Julie’s family has been working in produce for generations.
Her grandmother grew up on a farm near Prague. Her grandfather had a corner grocery store in Chicago. Her uncle and mom turned that into a natural food store long before it became the trendy thing to do.
And Julie brought it full circle when she was asked to be the cornerstone speaker for the United Fresh Produce Leadership Program. She’s taught business and leadership skills to the best minds in produce every year since the program began.
Today Krivanek Consulting is the only firm focused exclusively on strategic thinking and planning for the produce industry. And has been for almost 25 years.
Julie Krivanek, President & CEO of Krivanek Consulting, the produce industry’s top executive advisory, is proud to introduce new services to further develop and support the evolving needs of produce industry executive leaders at each stage of their careers.
Having worked with hundreds of CEOs and senior executives, creating pathways to greater personal, professional, and corporate success, Julie Krivanek will further support high-potential and experienced executives in three different stages of their careers.
Newly promoted executive leaders will seek Julie’s mentorship on leadership development and career trajectory planning; expanding business and identifying new business opportunities; and team management skills to create and retain high-performing teams.
Executives in the stride of their careers will glean Julie’s wisdom through her pointed performance feedback. Mid-level executives leverage her insights as a trusted sounding board when they are faced with challenging decisions within their boards, teams, and companies.
Senior level executives trust Julie’s experience to provide sound guidance through business transitions including sales, mergers, and acquisitions; with the nuances of succession planning; and through personal exit strategies.
“Today’s executives are facing unprecedented challenges in a post-pandemic world, and they’re seeking a trusted, outside expert for wisdom, advice and a reality check,” said Krivanek. “Over these past few years, my background has allowed me to tailor new services that ensure leaders are equipped with the capabilities and confidence to navigate complicated situations successfully.”
Best known for her executive coaching and consulting services, Julie Krivanek has meticulously choreographed the produce industry landscape through executive development. For more than four decades, this most revered strategist has guided companies and their leaders through strategy; business and people transitions; instructed executives through the industry’s most prestigious leadership development program; and coached the industry’s top decision makers on matters of career and corporate direction.
“My methods are not off the shelf,” added Krivanek. “The approach for each executive is personalized to their unique needs and objectives. The feedback, assessment tools, business context and future succession plans we develop together are designed to support them in reaching their goals and greatest potential,” she added.
With decades of industry experience, Julie Krivanek can forecast the changing tide of the executive landscape. Her new services exemplify Krivanek’s experience in action: clearly identifying the needs of outgoing incumbent and incoming leadership candidates and meeting those needs with unrivaled services.
