For Erik Jacobsen, success comes down to a simple formula: understand the situation, create a vision, and get to work.
It’s a method that served him well during his 16-year tenure as AgReserves’ Vice President of Ranches, and again as he and his wife, Renée, took a leap of faith when they were asked by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to lead the Accra West Mission in Ghana for three years.
Now back in Salt Lake City, Erik has stepped into a new role as AgReserves’ Vice President of Land Management.
“It felt like a good fit for me and the company,” Erik said. “The cattle business involves a lot of land, and I’d managed land issues in that division for a long time. The transition has been smooth. I know the other VPs and general managers well, I trust them, and I feel like they trust me. That makes it easier to work with them on all these land issues.”
AgReserves President and CEO Doug Rose expressed confidence that Erik’s expertise and leadership will continue to drive the company’s strategic goals forward. “Erik brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in land and ranch management,” he said. “After returning from three years of mission leadership service, Erik is ready to bring his renewed perspective to our team.”
Erik was introduced to AgReserves’ flagship ranching operation, Deseret Cattle & Citrus in Central Florida, when he worked as a fencing contractor to make money while attending junior college and was hired to build 6 miles of fence at DCC. The ranch’s GM at the time, Paul Genho, later recognized Erik on the University of Florida campus and hired him to work as a cowboy in the fall of 1986.
“I worked there for the month of October, and then I was hired back as a unit manager in January 1987. I worked in that role for a few years,” Erik said.
Then, with a nudge from Genho, Erik decided to pursue an MBA. He was accepted at BYU, threw everything he owned in the back of his truck, and headed west across the country.
“I had just come off working cattle units, and I showed up at BYU surrounded by guys in business suits – future executives. I felt totally out of place. But it turned out to be a great experience,” he said. “After business school, I came back to AgReserves for five years, then left to work for Smithfield Foods for about 11 years.”
Erik returned to AgReserves in 2006 to lead both the Ranches Division as vice president and DCC as general manager. On his plate were two big tasks, improving ranch operations and leading the envisioning effort. By 2022, Erik had accomplished those principal goals. The DCC herd was up to 40,000 cows, the cows in the division numbered 100,000, and he’d spearheaded efforts to protect the ranch’s interests with long-range sector plans to address future regional growth.
It was then that Erik and Renée were unexpectedly called to lead the Ghana Accra West Mission. Preparing to leave was intense, but Erik leaned on his core formula: gather information, build a vision, and move forward.
“You can apply ‘have a vision’ to a lot of things – whether you’re managing a team, leading a mission, or even at home,” he said. “If you don’t have a vision, you probably need to think about that.”
Erik’s time in Ghana offered a powerful reminder of what matters most in life, and he returned with a new perspective: “Work and finances are important, but there are other things that matter more. Things that last beyond this lifetime.”
Since stepping into his new role in August, Erik has focused on listening, learning, and laying the groundwork for future growth.
“I just finished my last interview with the land management team – I’ve now interviewed everyone in the group, about 30-something people,” Erik said in late September. “I’ve been out to the Mississippi River Delta region, spent a couple of days there; visited AgriNorthwest (in Washington state’s Columbia River Basin); and we’re going to AgReserves UK in England next week.”
“My goal for the first 90 days was to get to know all the people, tighten up our meeting schedules, get out to the operations, and really understand them,” he added. “Then I want to see if we need to make structural changes to absorb all the growth that’s coming. After that, I’ll set some longer-term goals; two- to three-year vision plans for what we see coming down the pike.”
As Erik picks up responsibility for the company’s leased properties, day-to-day land management, and long-term planning, he’s drawing on the same strategic framework that guided his success in the Ranches Division – one built around clarity, alignment, and vision.
“Over the years, especially starting with ranches, we’ve centered our strategic plans around three pillars: customers, the business, and employees,” Erik said. “Most people focus on business metrics, but we made sure to include goals and initiatives for all three. That’s how I’ll approach land management, too – because if you don’t have good customers and good employees, you’re never going to accomplish those metrics. It all starts with having a vision.” With a deep understanding of AgReserves’ operations and a forward-looking mindset, Erik is well-positioned to lead the Land Management team into its next chapter.