Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
For two local men, graduation from UF/IFAS Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources marks the completion of a three-year leadership development experience focused on agricultural and natural resource issues.
Philip Watts, herd care manager at Full Circle Dairy, and Ryan Pavlik, Vice President for AssuredPartners, graduated from Class XI on Thursday, July 28, capping a multi-year program of learning.
Class XI participants attended 12 multi-day seminars throughout Florida, a 10-day national seminar to Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and Kentucky and over two weeks in Portugal and Morocco as a final capstone experience. These sessions amount to approximately 60 days of leadership development. Typical WLIANR classes span two years, but this year’s graduates continued their commitment by an additional year to fulfill graduation requirements due to the impacts of Covid-19.
During each leadership seminar, class members toured agricultural operations, learned from local business leaders, and critically examined the breadth of issues facing leaders at all levels. Class members gained advanced skills in communication, interpersonal leadership development, decision-making and problem-solving. Graduates of WLIANR are poised to take on increasing leadership roles and are dedicated to finding solutions to issues that shape the future of Florida’s agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.
“Florida’s future depends on preparing leaders to address complex challenges,” said J. Scott Angle, the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF/IFAS. “What makes WLIANR special is that it fosters leaders willing to take on these challenges, to engage with people who see things differently and find the common ground that leads to solutions.”
Applications for the next class will open in the late spring of 2023. For more information about the program, contact Christy Chiarelli at ccw@ufl.edu.
Ryan Pavlik
Ryan Pavlik has been a Jefferson County resident for over 13 years, and was nominated for the selection process at the Wedgworth Leadership Institute by a former class member. Pavlik graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Food and Resource Economics, and believes that all aspects of life are affected by agriculture.
“We are all impacted by Ag,” he stated, “Our food, contrary to popular belief, doesn't come from Publix or Bob and Jeff's. We need to be cognizant of where it comes from, and we need to understand how we are impacting the food and the growing areas.” He went on to describe the various areas of impact that agriculture has, including ground water, surface water, air quality and land.
“Farmers are the ultimate conservationists. They provide green space, they provide habitat for animals. They provide carbon sequestration, water holding and water recharge areas. They make their living from their land, and it's important to take good care of it.”
His experience at Wedgworth not only brought the impact of agriculture on daily life to light, but also provided Pavlik with exceptional leadership training. “I think the experience made me a better leader, personally and professionally,” admitted Pavlik. “It helped me understand different perspectives better, and how to approach those different perspectives, or folks with different perspectives. It made me realize that you need to be even more involved than you already are. One of our sayings in the course at the seminars was, 'if you're not at the table, you're on the menu,' and that's so true.”
Pavlik works as Vice President for AssuredPartners, one of the top ten insurance agencies in the United States. The company has around 9,000 employees and also utilizes international offices. They are a full-service entity that can handle anything from mom and pop businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Even in this seemingly agriculture-free line of work, Pavlik says the impact of ag is everywhere.
“I work in ag everyday,” he says. “My in-laws are cattle producers that also grow citrus and timber. My clients are loggers, foresters, truckers, commercial ag folks that are in all different aspects of agriculture.” Pavlik says that being a good leader allows him to drive value for his family as well as his office and his clients, who often look to him as an advisor in their company strategies. Being familiar with agriculture and the ins and outs of the multitude of aspects it entails allows Pavlik and his team to give their clients quality advice to make informed decisions. “You want to be someone your clients can rely on,” says Pavlik.
Pavlik and his wife, Jenn, have three sons, aged 10, eight and six. Pavlik prides himself on being a good leader not just at work, but for his family. “A good leader is someone who understands their strengths and weaknesses and is willing to be around people who are strong in the way they aren't,” he said. Additionally, he says a good leader should be trustworthy, humble and driven, and be able to create a vision for their team and facilitate an environment where the team can succeed. “Don't micromanage. Give them a chance to use your tools and vision, and they'll surprise you every turn.”
Philip Watts
Philip Watts has been a resident of Madison County since 2006, and says his interest in agriculture began with the family business.
“I grew up in agriculture as a 5th generation dairy farmer,” Watts stated, “But it was my choice to stay in agriculture and dairy farming. I worked in other parts of the agriculture industry through college, but nothing felt the same as dairy farming. I truly enjoy working with dairy cattle. I enjoy the daily tasks and the intuitive planning for the upcoming years. I enjoy working with a great team of people to provide feed, water, comfortable housing and more for our animals, which produce wholesome dairy products. The detail and care for our cows is what I am truly passionate about.”
It was this passion that got him involved at Wedgworth. “After a school tour I lead at Full Circle Dairy, a parent pulled me aside and said they would like to nominate me for the Wedgworth Leadership Institute,”said Watts. “I had no idea the opportunities that that tour and conversation would open up for me and my future.”
Watts describes his experience at Wedgworth as highly valuable, and says he will continue to carry the leadership skills he gained through the experience into his daily life. He also mentioned the benefit of being connected with a network of alumni, leaders and agricultural influencers from across the state that the program provided. Watts says that he looks forward to ensuring that dairy has a voice in agriculture policy, and that the program has taught him the importance of taking the time to share with others in legislative roles the impact that their decisions have on dairy and other commodities from a producer level.
Watts lives in Madison, Fla., with his wife, Rachel, and their 15 month-old son, Layton. Watts has high hopes for his son to grow up loving the industry and the many blessings that come with it. When he isn't spending time keeping his herd fed and comfortable, Watts enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family.
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