Aashiv Gupta: Beth Ford

2025-04-12T17:04:40Z

Beth Ford

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{{SHORTDESC:CEO of Land O'Lakes and advocate for rural innovation}}
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|title=Beth Ford
|keywords=Beth Ford, Beth Ford biography, Beth Ford Arisepedia, Beth Ford Land O'Lakes, who is Beth Ford, Beth Ford Wiki, Beth Ford CEO, LGBTQ Fortune 500 CEO
|description=Beth Ford is the CEO of Land O'Lakes and the first openly gay female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. She is a leader in agricultural innovation and rural broadband advocacy.
|image=Beth_Ford_Land_O'Lakes_CEO.png
|image_alt=Beth Ford CEO Land O'Lakes
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{| class="infobox" style="width: 22em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #aaa; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: larger; padding: 5px;" |Beth Ford
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |[[File:Beth Ford.png|266x266px]]
|-
| style="width: 30%;" |'''Born'''
| style="width: 70%;" |March 1964<br>Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.
|-
| style="width: 30%;" |'''Nationality'''
| style="width: 70%;" |American
|-
| style="width: 30%;" |'''Education'''
| style="width: 70%;" |BBA, Iowa State University<br>MBA, Columbia University
|-
| style="width: 30%;" |'''Occupation'''
| style="width: 70%;" |CEO of Land O'Lakes
|-
| style="width: 30%;" |'''Spouse'''
| style="width: 70%;" |Jill Schurtz
|-
| style="width: 30%;" |'''Children'''
| style="width: 70%;" |3
|}

'''Beth Ford''' is an American business executive and the current '''President and CEO of Land O'Lakes, Inc.''' She is widely recognized as the '''first openly gay woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.''' Ford has become a leading voice in agricultural innovation, rural development, and corporate responsibility.<ref>https://business.columbia.edu/press-release/cbs-press-releases/columbia-business-schools-deming-center-awards-2024-deming-cup</ref>

== Early Life and Education ==
Born in Sioux City, Iowa, in March 1964, Beth Ford was raised as one of eight children in a working-class family. Her father worked as a truck driver and car salesman, and her mother, once a nurse, earned a master's degree and became a psychologist. Ford credits her mother as her greatest role model, especially for her resilience and dedication to education.

Ford began working in agriculture at age 12, detasseling corn for $2 an hour. She supported her own education through various jobs including janitor, house painter, and cashier. She earned a BBA from '''Iowa State University''' and an MBA from '''Columbia University.'''<ref>https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/2024/beth-ford/</ref>

== Career ==
Ford’s early career included leadership roles at Mobil Oil, ExxonMobil, PepsiCo, and Scholastic, where she gained expertise in supply chain, marketing, and operations.

She joined '''Land O'Lakes''' in 2011 as Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer. She was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer and in 2018 became the company’s ninth CEO.

=== Leadership at Land O'Lakes ===
As CEO, Ford has focused on:
* Implementing advanced agricultural technologies
* Advocating for broadband access in rural areas
* Strengthening rural communities and farmer-owned models

She led the company's initiative to replace its historic logo with "Farmer-Owned" branding, reinforcing the cooperative’s mission. In 2019, she joined over 180 CEOs in redefining the purpose of a corporation to serve stakeholders beyond shareholders.<ref>https://www.startribune.com/beth-ford-land-o-lakes-ceo-business-roundtable-immigration-committee-2025/601204131</ref>

== Advocacy and Impact ==
Ford is a vocal advocate for:
* Closing the rural digital divide
* Sustainable farming innovation
* Equity in corporate leadership

She founded and leads the '''American Connection Project''', promoting federal investment in broadband infrastructure and improved connectivity in underserved communities.

She currently serves on the:
* President’s Export Council
* Boards of Starbucks, BlackRock, Paccar, and Columbia University’s Deming Center
* Business Roundtable and US Global Leadership Coalition<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/12/perspectives/land-olakes-beth-ford-farmers/index.html</ref>

== Recognition ==
Ford has been consistently recognized among the most powerful women and LGBTQ leaders:
* Fortune's Most Powerful Women (2018, 2020–2023)
* Fast Company’s Queer 50 (2021, 2022)
* Multiple national features for corporate responsibility and rural advocacy<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/3598807</ref>

== Personal Life ==
Beth Ford is married to '''Jill Schurtz''', the CEO of the St. Paul Teachers’ Retirement Fund Association. They have three children and live in Minnesota. Ford emphasizes humility, authenticity, and gratitude as keys to leadership.<ref>https://fortune.com/2020/05/20/land-olakes-logo-beth-ford/</ref>

== Publications ==
* "Farmers Are in Crisis—and America Isn't Paying Attention" – Dairy Business, 2019
* "How Businesses Can Help America's Struggling Farmers" – CNN Business, 2020
* "LGBTQ Business Leaders on Supreme Court Ruling" – Fortune, 2020<ref>https://fortune.com/2020/05/20/land-olakes-logo-beth-ford/</ref>

== See Also ==
* [[Land O'Lakes]]
* [[LGBTQ leaders in business]]
* [[Women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:American business executives]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Women CEOs]]
[[Category:LGBT businesspeople]]
[[Category:Fortune 500 CEOs]]
[[en:Beth Ford]]

Beth Ford - Revision history

Aashiv Gupta: Beth Ford