Meet Our Team Members: Jim Fletcher
Here at Maple Ridge Farms, we love taking the time to get to know our distributors better. We feel that our relationships with them set us apart and help us to provide the best service we possibly can. As part of our ongoing series, here is a look at another member of the Maple Ridge Farm team!
Name: Jim Fletcher
Department: Information Technology
Years of Service: 24
Your Time on the “Farm”…
What brought you to Maple Ridge Farms, and what where you doing before coming to MRF?
I was in my 3rd year of college studying Computer Science and Mathematics. I was going to transfer to the University of Minnesota to complete my degree but my transcripts were never received so I had to take a semester off. I decided to work during my time off to pay for school and saw the Maple Ridge Farms ad in the paper. I came to work in the imprint department and was hired full time after the season was over. I worked my way up splitting my time between production and IT until the IT duties required all of my time.
What is your role on the MRF Team? How do you typically spend your day?
My current title is IT Director. I do everything from making the major decisions to fixing network/PC problems and writing software. A typical day is spent handling any hot issues, then working on IT department requests as well as researching new technology.
What part of your job do you most look forward to?
My favorite part of the job is problem solving. I love to find the most efficient solution to a difficult problem. It is something I have loved since I was a small child.
What is the strangest request you have seen since joining the Maple Ridge Farms team?
I do not recall anything I would categorize as strange. But I do recall a memorable experience. We were having a problem with our networked printers after some upgrades to our infrastructure. I explained to the network technicians that when I plugged in the network cable the printer would spark and then no longer work. They asked me to show them. I explained that it would destroy the printer but they assured me that it could not cause that kind of damage and they would fix any problems or replace the printer at no charge. When I plugged it in it arced like a welder and made a large smoke cloud. The look on their faces was priceless. Needless to say, they replaced the printer and we did not plug in anything else until the problem was fixed. It turned out to be a crossed wire in the electrical run.
What is your favorite Maple Ridge Farms item?
The Chocolate Almonds still remain my favorite after all of these years.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of having achieved a high level of proficiency in a broad array of IT skills.
What do you feel sets Maple Ridge Farms apart in the industry?
Our overwhelming desire to provide the best product and service possible to our customers. It permeates every aspect of life at MRF. It has long ago become, and remains to this day a lifestyle rather than a line on a mission statement.
On the Lighter Side…
What do you do in your spare time?
Biblical studies, astronomy, woodworking, home improvement, and would love to get my Private pilot license and build my own airplane. An RV-14 would be nice.
What are you proudest of in your personal life?
The times when I was able to help others.
If you could have a drink with anyone (fictional, real, dead, alive, famous, non-famous) who would it be?
Jesus. Wine of course.
Alaska wilderness vacation. I prefer nature’s beauty over man-made destinations.
What is your favorite quote or saying?
'Have you tried turning it off and back on again?'
What three words best describe you?
Discerning, analytical and helpful. Alternate choice: Spock with emotions.
If you were stranded on an island with one book, one movie, and one CD what would they be?
ESV Study Bible, Lord of the Rings and a powerful classical music mix to inspire me while I built a ship using primitive tools.
