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Minnesota-based Mann Lake Ltd. is a leader in the beekeeping industry, serving commercial beekeeping businesses and backyard hobbyists alike. The company specializes in quality manufacturing, innovation, customer service, and global ESG (environmental, social, governance) matters. \u201cBees pollinate one in every three bites of food that humans consume,\u201d Mann Lake CFO Shana Rowlette explains. \u201cColony collapse is a real thing, and we\u2019re very involved in helping our industry to address this risk.\u201d

Her company\u2019s unique realm and rapid growth quickly nudged Rowlette beyond the traditional bounds of the staff accounting role that she filled when she joined the company. \u201cI started with payables, receivables, and inventory but steadily took on more responsibilities that showed me how everything functioned as our company grew,\u201d she notes. \u201cIt\u2019s been 11 years, and I haven\u2019t had a boring day yet.\u201d

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As controller, Rowlette helped to shepherd the company\u2019s purchase by a private equity (PE) firm. She educated her PE partners in the nuances of the industry\u2019s pollination seasonality and weather-related risks while collaborating on acquisition targets to fuel further growth. This work resulted in Mann Lake\u2019s acquisition of Stromberg\u2019s Chicks & Game Birds. \u201cOur ultimate goal is to become the one-stop shop for everything related to backyard hobbies,\u201d says Rowlette.

Next year, Rowlette will play a key role in a major employee-engagement initiative in addition to helping to drive growth. \u201cThe fast pace in a rapidly growing company can be overwhelming at times,\u201d she observes. \u201cYou have to take a deep breath each day and prioritize what\u2019s most important to the company. I also have a really good relationship with my amazing team. I was given a great opportunity by my former CFO to rise from being a staff accountant up to being a CFO. So, I make sure that we give our staff the ability to take on more and more while learning about the entire business.\u201d