Nice to Meat Ya: Brent Eichar

If there’s a hat to be worn, Brent Eichar likely has it on.

Meat cutter, general contractor, accountant, confidant – the list only continues.

It was 1987 when the now senior vice president began his tenure with CAB. Fresh out of college he brought with him a background in food science, but observing him nearly three decade later, it’s difficult to find a category that fits.

First came assistant director of retail, followed by a stint in what would ultimately lead to today’s brand assurance division. A trademark lawsuit put him in the role of temporary legal advisor, which led to filling a need for an accountant/financial planner. All would culminate in today’s status as senior VP, but not before the Ohioan took lessons from each role and applied them to his current, demonstrating that one can, in fact, find success in something that was never quite anticipated.

“Could I have ever perceived or dreamed this job? The answer is no,” he says. “The answer is absolutely never could I have envisioned what it would become.”

So what did it become? Ask him yourself and you’re likely to be met with the same humility he brings to work each morning. What he’ll refer to as simply “stumbling into a position,” those close to him will say there’s no one better suited for the role.

He’ll credit the leaders who were willing to let him try, trust him to make the right decisions and have his back if he made the wrong. Then he’ll draw attention to the team.

“I’m like an academic advisor working for the ultimate university in the world,” he says, “because I just get to work with people to be their best and to drive this brand.”

Removing barriers, stimulating ideas, motivating people – that’s what Brent calls “work,” if you can ever catch him using the term. It’s about putting people in the right place to have a successful career and life and then getting out of the way to let them do it.

“When you hire the right people, you turn them loose on an opportunity,” he says. “You support and guide them. You don’t manage; you lead and create possibilities. It’s more than just a boss. It’s a relationship.”

For Brent, that can mean a myriad of things. Perhaps it’s lending a listening ear, pushing someone to accomplish a goal, sharing tips on how to tile a bathroom.

“I’d say I’m motivated by a problem,” he says. “When someone says ‘hey, I’ve got a problem,’ whether it’s personally, professionally, a system, a process, people, whatever, I love solving problems. You know, seeing solutions, seeing a process, seeing a way that we can get there.”

The other thing about Brent – he’s not scared. Turning a nearby restaurant into what’s now CAB’s Education & Culinary Center? He’s already done it. Fly a plane? Surely there’s a video tutorial out there somewhere.

“No, I’m not scared by things,” he says. “I think you gain perspective and, honestly, none of it seems overwhelming to try. Whether it was buying the restaurant and remodeling that or writing computer code, whether it’s wiring my home, it’s one of those ‘if we don’t know how to do it, we’ll figure it out.’”

Figuring it out has been a common theme threaded into his impressive career. His job is unique, unprecedented, a “baptism by fire.”

“You’ll find accountants, you’ll find CFOs, but they’re not building buildings or they’re not teaching meat classes. I get to play at everything,” he says.

“Diversity. It motivates me.”

A trailblazer, Eichar’s not one to mind uncharted territory. He’s seen it before and found the path to success.

We’re glad to have him on our team.

Thanks for allowing me to tell your story,

Laura

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PS–Want to catch up on the whole series? Check out these links below:

• Introduction: Nice to Meat Ya
• Day 1: Ashley Pado
• Day 2: Scott Redden
• Day 3: Jesse Stucky
• Day 4: Bridget Wasser
• Day 5: Amanda Barstow
• Day 6: Josh Moore
• Day 7: Ruth Ammon
• Day 8: Bill Tackett
• Day 9: Dan Chase
• Day 10: Danielle Foster
• Day 11: Eric Mihaly
• Day 12: Jennifer Kiko
• Day 13: Mark Morgan
• Day 14: Meg and Matt Groves
• Day 15: Rod Kamph
• Day 16: Jonnie Schreffler

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