Monty Staggs has a sign in his office that reads: Innovate or Die. “I truly believe that in our rapidly changing world, it doesn’t matter what industry you are in, you have to look forward to what’s next,” said Staggs, a two-time Titan 100. “A leader needs to have a vision and that vision must keep the organization relevant and ahead of the curve at all times.”
As the chief executive officer of Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFE), Staggs has relied on agility to pivot quickly this year when faced with regulatory changes that impacted revenue, unprecedented labor and increased costs of goods.
SFE fuels K-12 students to reach their highest potential through delicious, fresh-from-scratch meals and unmatched menu variety. SFE is a culinary-based foodservice management company exclusively dedicated to K-12 nutrition, building school nutrition programs that make a real impact for students, schools and communities served.
Under Staggs’ leadership, the company weathered multiple changes by creating savings in its purchasing space and evaluating menus and waste reduction methods. SFE also expanded to five new states while building ground in emerging markets.
“It is a true testament to my team, and their ability to adapt and overcome,” said Staggs. “Having a team like that and the results we have put on the board is by far the greatest accomplishment of last year.”
The past year also prompted Staggs to engage intentionally in chief executive officer relationship building, creating his own network of executive leaders to provide a space for working through challenges, to create opportunities to hear and incorporate different perspectives and innovations, and to identify new ways to support his team. In addition to the Titan 100 network, Staggs leveraged relationships through World 50.
“In the coming year, I will be focusing personally on helping my executive team cultivate their own personal advisory boards,” said Staggs. “I’ve learned how deeply these relationships benefit us as individuals and as teammates – I want that for my people.”
The impact of networking led Staggs to launch a rebranding of corporate training initiatives at SFE. “Rather than viewing it as training, we want our team members to view their required and optional learnings as career learning and development,” he said. This includes introducing a mentorship program and book club sessions that partner individuals from throughout the organization with next-level, mid-level and senior-level leaders.
“I see so many future titans in my own organization,” said Staggs. “These are people who are passionate about the work they do, innovative in their approach to obstacles and resilient during some of the most challenging times in our industry.”
