In the February issue of Independent Processor, I gave a brief background about a long-standing Southwest Meat Association’s (SMA) member of 50-plus years, Columbia Packing Co. Columbia Packing is an independent family-owned business, located in Ennis, Texas, approximately 40 miles south of Dallas along Interstate 45. Follow along to a quick Q&A interview Amber Ondrusek, the first woman president of Columbia Packing Co.  

In his new role, Alfred Williams will lead process control optimization for the company and focus on maximizing employee effectiveness and experience across all plants and at all levels.

Numerous packer and processor members can boast of their decades-long commitment to SMA.

Frank Bertolino can still remember the first paycheck he ever received in America. It was in 1956, and the 20-year-old had just come to the country from Sicily, along with the rest of his family. He had worked in the fish business with his father in the old country, but when they settled in Boston, his cousin got him a job as a carpenter. They made caskets.

When innovations enter into a given business, the companies that are the earliest adopters tend to gain an advantage over their competitors. Sometimes though, there is an advantage is maintaining those old traditions.