A New Millennium Begins

On January 1, 2000, the world celebrated the start of the new millennium – though some would say the party came a year too early. But early or not, the 21st century was upon us. 

Fireworks lit up the sky, as the world held its breath to see if computers would crash as the date turned from 1999 to the year 2000. Fortunately, the Y2K bug didn’t bite, and all was well … with our computers, that is. 

All was not well with the U.S. presidential election. The outcome was embroiled in controversy and it took a Supreme Court decision to determine that George W. Bush would become the 43rd president in January, 2001. Later that year, the world would mourn as nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks in the U.S. on September 11th. Still later in the decade, Barack Obama would become the first African American U.S. president in 2009.

Globally, China and India were experiencing rapid economic growth in the 2000s. But Asia also faced devastation after a massive 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, which impacted several countries where Wilbur-Ellis does business (see sidebar). Wars erupted in Iraq and Afghanistan during the decade, and the Great Recession began, battering economies worldwide. 

On a happier note, there was new hope for curing disease, as human DNA was mapped in the largest international scientific project ever. The Apple iPhone came on the scene, launching a mobile revolution, and social media evolved from a novelty to part of everyday life. 

At Wilbur-Ellis, the 2000s was a decade when the company celebrated a momentous birthday, transitioned its top leadership twice, doubled revenues, and intensified its focus on technology and strategy.

Transitions in leadership

The company’s transitions in leadership began in 2000, when Brayton Wilbur Jr., son of the company’s founder, stepped down as CEO after a dozen years, becoming Chairman of the Board of Directors. The new CEO, Herb Tully, had joined Wilbur-Ellis in 1981 and served as Controller, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer before taking the top job.

Tully served as CEO for six years, until a second transition in 2006. That’s when John Thacher, the current Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, became CEO – following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Brayton Wilbur Sr., his father, Carter Thacher, and his uncle, Brayton Wilbur Jr.

John Thacher came to Wilbur-Ellis with extensive business experience. Before joining the company in 2002 as Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development, he had a 25-year career with Cuvaison Winery in Napa Valley, including serving as its President. In 2005, he became Executive Vice President of Wilbur-Ellis, and rose to the CEO role the next year, a position he held until 2018.

Advancements Through Technology

In 2001, Wilbur-Ellis took a major step toward a common information technology infrastructure, investing in a companywide program called SMART (Strategic Mobilization of Assets Through Re-Engineering and New Technologies).

With SMART, JD Edwards Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software was implemented across the divisions. ERP software integrates and automates major business processes, providing a common shared database and real-time information access.

When the new technology was introduced, it was clear the investment would be substantial. At the time, the cost was estimated at $20 million. But the benefits were substantial, too. This new infrastructure would provide improved customer service, more efficient inventory procurement and management, enhanced processing and accounting systems, and better analytical tools and reports. The system would also bring consistency to the different platforms used by acquired companies.

With less paperwork, better information, and more effective business management tools, the goal was to spend less time on administrative and business management tasks and more time serving customers.

Pursuing a Unified Strategy, as “One Wilbur-Ellis”

Another important change in the 2000s was a more unified company strategy.

In 2003 – for the first time – managers from all divisions came together to “learn, strategize and interact.” The One Company Meeting promoted a common understanding of where the company stood, where it was going, and how it would get there. Here are some highlights:

Where we stood – a position of strength

• Financially, Wilbur-Ellis was well-positioned to grow earnings and returns in all divisions.
• Agribusiness ranked among the top three U.S. distributors of fertilizer, crop protection chemicals and seed.
• Nutrition was growing, with unique market-share niches, especially in the pre-mix and lambs-meal segments.
• Connell had over two dozen locations, offering complete geographic coverage and extensive knowledge of local markets in Asia-Pacific.

Where we were going – growth and a unified strategy

• Continued growth would be essential to success, and strategic acquisitions would play a big role. In the four years prior to the 2003 One Company Meeting, over $100 million had been invested in acquisitions.
• In the past, managers functioned fairly autonomously, which worked well for its time. But going forward – in a time of consolidation, economic pressures and technological advancement – the company would pursue a more unified business strategy, in addition to regional and branch strategies. As CEO Herb Tully said after the meeting: “At Wilbur-Ellis, we truly are one company.”

How we’d get there – a future based on talent, knowledge and relationships

• Wilbur-Ellis had an important advantage – the talent, knowledge and customer relationships of its people. This recognition increased the focus on hiring, developing and retaining top talent. With that in mind, in 2005 the company introduced the 20-20-20 Program, which recruited the best candidates from major agricultural schools. Another program was NextGen in 2006, which groomed young men and women to be outstanding salespeople.

When John Thacher became CEO in 2006 – three years after the One Company meeting – he reiterated the positive outlook: “Wilbur-Ellis is well-positioned to achieve consistent long-term earnings growth. We have momentum, capital, a solid infrastructure, a committed and supportive shareholder base, and remarkably talented people. Our success is due to the commitment and dedication of everyone in the company.”