Beth Ford

Beth E. Ford
Born	1964 Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.
Occupation	Corporate executive
Years active	–present
Known for	CEO of Land O'Lakes, first openly gay woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company

Beth E. Ford is a prominent American corporate leader, recognized primarily as the CEO of Land O'Lakes, a leading agricultural cooperative in the United States, a position she has held since 2018. She holds the distinction of being the first openly gay woman to lead a Fortune 500 company and contributes her expertise to the President's Export Council. In 2023, she was ranked 26th on Fortune's list of Most Powerful Women.

Biography

Originating from Sioux City, Iowa, Ford was raised as the fifth child among eight siblings. Her father’s professions included truck driving and selling used cars, while her mother transitioned from nursing to psychology after completing a master's degree. Ford attributes much of her drive to her mother’s perseverance.

Ford’s introduction to agriculture began at age 12 when she earned $2 per hour detasseling corn. Throughout her youth, she took on various jobs to finance her higher education. She completed a Bachelor of Business Administration at Iowa State University, concentrating on marketing, finance, and operations, followed by an MBA from Columbia University. Early roles in her career encompassed marketing and supply chain management positions at firms such as Mobil Oil, ExxonMobil, PepsiCo, and Scholastic.

Her tenure at Land O'Lakes started in 2011 as chief supply chain and operations officer. She advanced to chief operating officer before being named president and CEO in 2018 by an all-male board, becoming the ninth individual to hold the CEO title in the company’s history. Under Ford’s guidance, Land O'Lakes has prioritized integrating technological advancements in agriculture alongside fostering development in rural communities.

Ford identifies major obstacles facing American farmers as policy instability, climate change impacts, and inadequate broadband access. She champions innovation, consistent political frameworks, and expanded rural internet infrastructure through programs like the American Connection Project, which seeks increased federal investment and enhanced coordination to bridge the digital divide.

Her governance roles include seats on boards such as the Business Roundtable, US Global Leadership Coalition, Paccar, Columbia University's Deming Center, Iowa State University College of Business, BlackRock Inc., and Starbucks Corporation.

In 2019, Ford was one of 181 CEOs endorsing the Business Roundtable's Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, advocating for stakeholder value beyond just shareholders. That year also saw Land O'Lakes replace its Native American woman logo with imagery symbolizing its farmer-owned cooperative roots—a change Ford described as reaffirming company principles rather than yielding to external pressures.

Since 2018, Ford has repeatedly appeared on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women rankings and was featured on Fast Company’s Queer 50 lists in both 2021 and 2022. In various interviews, she highlights humility and authenticity as essential leadership qualities while attributing personal success to maintaining physical health and practicing gratitude.

Personal life

Ford is married to Jill Schurtz, who serves as CEO of the St. Paul's Teachers' Retirement Fund Association. Together they have three teenage children.

Works

• "Land O'Lakes CEO: Farmers Are in Crisis—and America Isn't Paying Attention", opinion piece published in Dairy Business, June 13, 2019.
• "Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford and other LGBTQ business leaders discuss efforts leading to Supreme Court victory", op-ed featured in Fortune, June 18, 2020.
• "Land O'Lakes CEO: The role businesses can play in supporting America's struggling farmers", editorial for CNN Business, October 12, 2020.