40 Under Forty Awards 2024
Valerie Ball | 38
Vice President of Human Resources, Blount Fine Foods Corp.
What is the biggest challenge currently facing your industry and how are you responding to it? Staying competitive. Attraction and retention of talent are critical to the success of our business. A key focus of ours is on the internal growth and development of the team from English for Speakers of Other Languages classes, front-line supervisory trainings, Courageous Conversations workshops to our leadership development program, among many others. In addition, we continue to review our enhanced benefit offerings to ensure we are meeting the needs throughout the entire employee life cycle.
What is the best advice you have ever received? Say yes to opportunities that scare you.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Integral part of the Blount team in a role that is challenging and allows me the opportunity to grow and develop others.
What was your first job? Human resources assistant at Egenera.
What moment changed your life more than any other? The unexpected deaths of both my parents. Take nothing for granted because life can change in an instant.
What is your greatest attribute that you bring to your job? Identifying and nurturing the potential in others, empowering them to achieve their best. I turn obstacles into opportunities, finding new solutions while helping the team find fun through it.
What is your favorite Rhode Island food or drink? Coffee milk and calamari.
What is your preferred source for national news? Fox.