Month: April 2024

In the #HowIGotHere series, you’ll read about the career paths of some of the world-renowned leaders at Yum! Brands. Learn more about Jon Hixson, Chief Sustainability Officer & Vice President of Government Affairs Yum! Brands in this installment.

EDUCATION

Trego Community High School  
WaKeeney, Kansas, United States (1985– 1989)Kansas State University  
Manhattan, Kansas, United States Bachelor of Science, Milling Science and Management (1989 – 1993)George Washington University  
Washington, D.C., United States Master of Business Administration, International Finance (1997 – 1999)

If we were to interview your teachers, what would they say about you?

Jon was a curious and talented student with a great sense of humor.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a commodity trader. I grew up working on a farm that grew a tiny fraction of the global wheat production, so I was always interested in how the world produces and values food.

WORK

First Job

My first job was for ConAgra Flour Milling in Denver, Colorado. I took the job because I thought I would get to enjoy the mountains and ski often, but I never skied when I worked for ConAgra.

ConAgra Flour Milling, Denver, Colorado, United States
1993-1994: Operations Manager
 United States House of Representatives and United States Senate, Washington, D.C., United States
1994-1997: Staff Assistant, House Committee on Agriculture
1997-2000: Legislative Assistant, U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum
2000-2003: Chief of Staff, Congressman Jerry Moran
 Aircraft Owners and Operators of America, Washington, D.C., United States
2003-2005: Vice President of Government Affairs
 Cargill, Inc., Washington, D.C., United States
2005-2011: Director of Government Affairs
 Cargill, Inc., Singapore
2011-2014: Director of Government Affairs, Asia Pacific
 Cargill, Inc., Washington, D.C., United States
2014-2017: Vice President of Corporate Affairs
 Yum! Brands, Washington, D.C., United States
2017-present: Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Government Affairs

Do you believe in work/life balance?

The longer I’ve worked, the more I try to focus on work/life balance. My oldest child has gone off to college, and my wife and I both lost parents over the last three years, so it’s events like these that remind me that moments with family are a priority. Life is a one-way journey. Enjoy the moment, and keep it all in balance.

What moments, or who, in your life influenced the way you work?

My dad

This retired, Kansas farmer is the person who has shaped my life the most. I was always impressed by his work ethic, strategic thinking and independence as he worked his entire life as his own boss. I’ve always admired his community engagement. In retirement, he’s reinvented himself by writing history, volunteering at a museum and barbershop singing.

Working on Capitol Hill

One of my first major risks was leaving a corporate job to go work on Capitol Hill. This transition enabled professional growth and the chance to work across food, agriculture, finance, tax and transportation policy areas.

Living and working in Asia

In 2011, we moved our family to Asia for an opportunity to work as the director of government affairs for Cargill in the Asia-Pacific region. It was an amazing opportunity to pivot my career into sustainability and learn about the diverse cultures across Asia. It was very eye-opening working on the ground with smallholders in coconut, coffee, poultry and palm oil supply chains.

What do people think you do versus what you actually do?

Sustainability is an interesting word, and people tend to view it in their own personal way. Some think we focus just on improving packaging and reducing waste in our restaurants. It is that, but it’s also about listening to the concerns of our stakeholders. Most issues concern the environment or people in our business or supply chain. We try to listen to those views and seek solutions that realistically fit our franchisees and overall business model. We also spend a lot of time measuring and reporting our sustainability progress.

For government affairs, I educate policy makers about the details of Yum!’s business. Most government officials are spread thin and truly need to hear views on both sides of every issue concerning our industry. The reality of my job is listening to concerns, analyzing legislation and talking with officials about both the good and bad of how policies will affect our business, franchisees and employees.

What is the best piece of advice that you’ve been given?

Recognize patterns and thrive in ambiguity.

What makes you happy?

Spending time outdoors and staying active!

How do you do it?

It can be simple things like walks, hikes and taking a break to get some fresh air. I also have a 30-year-old Jeep that I take out with the top off from Easter to Thanksgiving. A topless 1980s Jeep is soul food on a warm day, although it does require a good set of tools!

BATTLEBORO, N.C., and CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 24, 2024 /3BL/ – Forging a new path forward into 2024 and beyond, SEE (NYSE: SEE) and Ossid have launched a new global partnership to provide case-ready processors a total solution for their tray overwrapping machinery and material needs. The combination of equipment, materials and services from SEE and Ossid will allow customers to achieve operational efficiency and sustainability goals and objectives for fresh protein producers.

Under this new partnership, customers will be able to purchase from SEE a complete tray overwrap solution that includes machinery from Ossid and trays and film from SEE. This collaboration combines SEE’s expertise in sustainable food packaging material and Ossid’s deep portfolio of packaging machinery. Both brands are well-positioned to consult and advise on each other’s products and services to recommend the best packaging solution for customers’ specific applications.

“This innovative partnership between SEE and Ossid really builds upon the strengths of each brand to create an experience for customers that provides the best of both solutions in a coordinated way,” said Jason Angel, Global Vice President of Sales and Business Development, Flexibles and Trays, ProMach. “The advantages that this partnership brings to customers are clear: SEE and Ossid can specify all the equipment needed for specific tray overwrapping applications and do so in a streamlined process. When we can come together with a company that has the vision and creative ingenuity of SEE to jointly share knowledge to help customers package and deliver their products more efficiently, everyone wins.”

“SEE and Ossid are experts in food packaging and equipment and this partnership, creates a synergy between the two companies that will ultimately benefit our customers in a meaningful way,” said Tobias Grasso, President of the Americas Region at SEE. “We are excited to partner with Ossid and look forward to offering our customers a total solution for their tray overwrapping needs.”

The sustainable total solution combines Ossid’s tray overwrapping equipment, and SEE’s industry standard SES film. The Ossid NextGen 500E is compatible with the CRYOVAC® brand compostable overwrap tray, the first compostable tray in the market designed to run on existing industrial food processing equipment. All of this is provided to the customer via a streamlined, combined, expert-driven purchase and after-market service that creates meaningful benefits to processors and consumers.

The NextGen 500E and 500im are two of Ossid’s leak resistant end seal overwrap packaging solutions. Designed with a small footprint to maximize floor space, the 500E utilizes a gripper chain system that produces tightly wrapped packages, while the 500im reaches speeds up to 35 packages per minute.

For more information on the SEE / Ossid strategic partnership, visit https://www.sealedair.com/ or https://www.ossid.com/.

About Ossid

Ossid is the industry leader for leak-resistant tray sealing for case-ready products, flexible packaging for healthcare, horizontal thermoform, fill and seal equipment, weigh/price labeling equipment, flow wrappers, vacuum chamber, and case scales. Catering to customers of all sizes around the world, Ossid’s packaging solutions are ideal for fresh and processed meats, produce, convenience foods, consumer goods, and medical devices. Ossid is a master distributor for Reepack, both are product brands of ProMach, a global leader in packaging line solutions. As part of the ProMach Flexibles & Trays business line, Ossid helps our packaging customers protect their reputation and grow the trust of their consumers. ProMach is performance, and the proof is in every package. Learn more about Ossid at www.ossid.com and more about ProMach at www.ProMachBuilt.com.

About SEE

Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE), is a leading global provider of packaging solutions that integrate sustainable, high-performance materials, automation, equipment and services. SEE designs, manufactures and delivers packaging solutions that preserve food, protect goods and automate packaging processes. We deliver our packaging solutions to an array of end markets including fresh proteins, foods, fluids and liquids, medical and life science, e-commerce retail, logistics and omnichannel fulfillment operations, and industrials. Our globally recognized solution brands include CRYOVAC® food packaging, LIQUIBOX® liquids systems, SEALED AIR® protective packaging, AUTOBAG® brand automated packaging systems, and BUBBLE WRAP® brand packaging. In 2023, SEE generated $5.5 billion in sales and has approximately 17,000 employees who serve customers in 115 countries/territories.

www.sealedair.com

About ProMach

ProMach is a family of best-in-class packaging solution brands serving manufacturers of all sizes and geographies in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, and household and industrial goods industries. ProMach brands operate across the entire packaging spectrum: filling and capping, flexibles, pharma, product handling, labeling and coding, and end of line. ProMach also provides Performance Services, including integrated solutions, design/build, engineering services, and productivity software to optimize packaging line design and deliver maximum uptime.

ProMach designs, manufactures, integrates, and supports the most sophisticated and advanced packaging solutions in the global marketplace. Its diverse customer base, from Fortune 500 companies to smaller, privately held businesses worldwide, depends on reliable, flexible, technologically advanced equipment and integrated solutions. ProMach is headquartered near Cincinnati, Ohio, with manufacturing facilities and offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, United Arab Emirates, and China. For more information about ProMach, visit www.ProMachBuilt.com.

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