NW Valley Times

George Holm, Chairman and CEO of Performance Food Group (PFG), addressed students at Grand Canyon University (GCU) on Thursday. The event took place in the Colangelo College of Business lobby as part of the inaugural T.W. Lewis Speaker Series.

“In the U.S., we produce more food than we can consume,” said Holm. He was accompanied by Steve Sands, PFG's Vice President of Protein, during a session that lasted over an hour.

Holm, who graduated from GCU with a degree in business administration and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2019, expressed his honor in sharing insights about PFG and its operations. “I learned a lot about people,” Holm remarked about his time at GCU. “I loved playing basketball. I got serious after college, but I enjoyed my time here.”

PFG delivers food to over 300,000 establishments including restaurants, schools, healthcare facilities, and convenience stores. Holm highlighted future challenges: “By 2050, we will need to increase our food distribution by 70%.” He also discussed differences between the U.S. and other countries like China regarding food consumption and agricultural practices.

Dr. Randy Gibb, GCU Provost and Chief Academic Officer stated: “Having someone of George’s success share his insight with business, supply chain, and nutrition students was just phenomenal.”

Holm touched on historical innovations in food distribution and current issues such as fertilizer price increases due to the war in Ukraine. Despite these challenges, he emphasized advancements like drone technology for crop management.

Steve Sands discussed beef price volatility due to long cattle maturation cycles compared to poultry’s efficiency in converting corn to meat. He stressed PFG's commitment to traceability amid rising food fraud concerns.

Business college Dean John Kaites moderated the event where Sands mentioned Shake Shack’s dedication to hormone-free meat when asked about quality fast-food hamburgers.

Holm advised young professionals against giving up too soon between jobs and noted significant changes in the food industry driven by technology.

Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]