Recognizing People & Their Value

Cindy Griffin was the first HR employee for Harvestone Low Carbon Partners and built the department from the ground up. The company's Vice President of Human Resources, now consists of 3 HR team members and 1 in IT. She truly cares about the employees' and their families' health and well-being. She believes that employees should be given realistic goals and expectations and be held accountable for their actions with the understanding that everyone makes mistakes. How one manages the actions taken after that is most important. The programs, benefits, and strategies exist today because she has a cohesive team that listens and works well together. This incredible team and support from the executive group have led to an environment that fosters and promotes engagement and communication.

The pioneering leader has incorporated an outlet for open and honest feedback through employee engagement surveys, 1 to 1 employee and manager meetings, and other avenues to ensure employees have a voice to improve their work areas. She implemented two critical elements to attract and retain the workforce—firstly, opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and receive tech-level advancements without changing careers. Lastly, implementing performance pay that is recognized in real-time has led to a valued, tenured, and skilled workforce.

“I challenge my team to high standards: high standards of themselves and high standards of others. Being in HR, people are always watching what we do and speak. So, we must be the ones that no matter what others are doing, we abide by our values and employee competencies,” explains Cindy. “I also listen to employee concerns and want the employee to come up with a solution, instead of giving someone else the problem, this is the key to success.” Success for Cindy means doing every task to the best of her ability without taking shortcuts, having high expectations, and fulfilling those expectations for oneself and others.

For Cindy, her parents were instrumental role models who were committed to their family, community, and faith. They helped those in need, volunteered for leadership positions, and cared about others. They taught Cindy to work hard and play hard. “They couldn’t share some of the most important moments of my life, but truly were the best role models by how they loved and cared for each other and those around them,” she says. “What I learned and pass on to others is that it is ok to be a mom, wife, chauffeur, chef, and provider all at the same time and it’s ok not to be able to handle it all at once. Find a support system and ask for help. Be proud of all accomplishments and share those experiences with your kids and co-workers. Stand up for what you know is right even if it goes against others.”

Armed with this brilliant mindset, Cindy has been taking the company to new heights. Harvestone Low Carbon Partners (HLCP) is a midwestern biofuels enterprise that owns Blue Flint, a 73 million gallon per year biorefinery in operation since 2007 near Underwood, North Dakota; Dakota Spirit, a 75 million gallon per year biorefinery in operation since 2015 near Spiritwood, North Dakota; and Iroquois Bio-Energy Company, a 50 million per year biorefinery in operation since 2007 at Rensselaer, Indiana. “We provide clean energy for a better world,” the company produces biofuels for traditional gas-powered vehicles.

Three years ago, they launched the “Vision Carbon Zero” initiative to get to zero carbon emissions, one of the company’s biggest achievements. “This fall, we will be completing our first phase of that vision. We are in the final months of what was a 3-year project. At one of our ND facilities, we will be sequestering our CO2, resulting in a lower carbon footprint for our products,” elucidates Cindy. “How have we supported this mission? My team and I aim to hire, promote, support, and retain the key individuals that can make these projects happen and ensure they align with our mission and values.”

For the days to come, Cindy and her team aim to continue doing projects similar to the CO2 sequestration project in ND. “We believe this is our best long-term financial solution and it is our duty to provide reliable, dependable jobs for our employee’s future employees and the supporting the American farmer by having a local market for corn,” she says. “Every day we produce renewable fuel that decreases our dependency on foreign countries. If American’s want low-cost products and services, we need to be committed to supporting this industry that provides lower cost fuel right in America’s back yard.”