During her 27 years of leading the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, Christie Jordan has seen it grow from a staff of two to a staff of 21 and from an annual budget of $250,000 to a cash budget of more than $5 million.
But more importantly, Jordan has overseen the growth of the Food Bank’s annual distribution to agencies and programs from 1.2 million pounds to 8.5 million pounds, food that feeds hungry families in northeast Arkansas.
When she became CEO in 1997, the Food Bank, at that time an affiliate of what is now Feeding America, had been placed on probation because of financial problems and inadequate facilities. Jordan worked to incorporate the Food Bank as an independent nonprofit and attracted grants that allowed it to build a new distribution center and a new volunteer center.
The Food Bank also gained the notice of philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who gave it $3 million.
Although, Jordan said, she learned what a food bank was only a short time before applying for the top position at the Food Bank, she believes “I was called to do this work.”
“Obviously, my passion for the mission is part of the reason for my longevity in this position, but I also loved the immense opportunities for growth that I saw for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. Twenty-seven years later, and I’ve finally checked off all the major goals that I set for the organization.”
That doesn’t mean there’s not more work to do. Jordan is leading her leadership team through a strategic planning process. The target “is a cohesive team with a shared vision and a road map to achieving shared goals.”
Jordan has distilled her secret of success to four simple sentences: “Look for opportunities to collaborate with others. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Never stop learning.”
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