Brief background of your business: 

Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For nearly 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introducing inventive products that simplify back-of-house management and make things more delicious for its customers. 

Mike Crowley, president, North America, Lamb Weston

| Courtesy: Lamb Weston

How did you land your current role? How long have you been in it? 

I was promoted from senior vice president and general manager of multi-national chains to president of North America, effective January 2025.

What are your company’s top priorities for the coming year? 

We are focused on reinvigorating the volume of frozen potato product sales, reducing our operating costs and investing in our talented team. 

Lamb Weston is one of the Tri-Cities’ largest employers. Tell us about your company’s Tri-Cities footprint.   

Lamb Weston has a vibrant presence in the Tri-Cities. Between our plants and offices in the local area, we employ more than 3,000 french fry experts who make fries for our distributers and customers in North America. 

What’s your favorite Lamb Weston frozen potato product? 

That’s a tough one because I never leave uneaten french fries on a plate. Believe it or not, my first words as a child were “french fry,” so I believe it was destiny that I’d end up in this business. My top three favorites are a shoestring french fry, a waffle cut french fry, and our Grown In Idaho or Alexia brand retail puffs. 

What year did you graduate from Hanford High? 

1991 

Tell us about a fond memory from your high school days.  

One of my fondest memories of Hanford High was the welcoming nature of the student body. Moving to Richland from out of state came with its difficulties. Relocating as a teenager, Hanford felt like a student body that had fewer walls built between student groups than I was used to. That said, I would be remiss to not say my fondest memory is meeting my wife of 28+ years, Sara, while we were both at Hanford High School.  

What is your proudest career moment? 

My proudest moments are always related to exposing our customers and our staff around the world to the heart of Lamb Weston, located in Tri-Cities. This is a company filled with passion and care regarding quality and consistency, and it’s rewarding having customers from across the globe see and hear through interactions with our people. 

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess? 

Authenticity. It is critical that a leader is authentic through their drive for business performance. The trust you need from your team is paramount to success and that performance is not achievable over the long term without a team that implicitly trusts in leadership. 

If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your industry/field? 

I would drive increased french fry eating occasions across the network of restaurants and homes around the world! Fries are fun, and one of, if not the most, enjoyed foods across all age demographics. If I could wave that magic wand and have it result in an extra eating occasion, that’s what I’d do. 

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time? 

Be a sponge, ask questions, learn from those you want to emulate as well as those you don’t. Don’t back down from asking those questions. You’re typically leading people who have a much deeper understanding of their job than you do, and that’s OK. Pay those individuals the credit they are due, respect their knowledge and expertise, help them be the best they can possibly be, and the overall results will rise to your company’s expectations. There are several ways to lead people and if you can adopt what you see as impactful and make that approach yours, authentically, then you’ll be a successful you. 

How do you keep your employees (or team members) motivated? 

I keep them focused on the long game and the idea of living up to our fullest potential as individuals and as a business. 

How did you decide to pursue the career that you are working in today?   

I graduated from Washington State University and could not wait to get into a business setting. Within days of graduating, I had a conversation with a former Lamb Weston leader, Bob Cowan. Bob was the person who brought the Lamb Weston offices to Kennewick in the 1980s. His passion for this business was unavoidably contagious. I interviewed for a production supervisor role in Hermiston, Oregon, and from my first night shift, I was hooked. Lamb Weston offered me the ability to work across multiple roles and facilities, gaining understanding of this business each step of the way. Around 2005, I knew that I wanted to work with or in the sales organization at Lamb Weston. This company serves the best customers in the world, who serve the best french fries in the world! Those customers have always motivated me to serve. 

How do you measure success in your workplace? 

Say what you’re going to do and deliver. It’s all about being measured in your goals and targets and then living up to those commitments. 

What do you consider your leadership style to be? 

I consider myself a balance between coaching and servant styles of leadership. Working with colleagues and team members through the opportunities we face, while maintaining roots in servant leadership, focused on delivering what is best for Lamb Weston and those who we serve. 

How do you balance work and family life? 

I try. It isn’t really balanced if you’re not consciously putting effort into it. Ultimately the judges on that would be my wife and kids. I think having a cognizance of the need for balance and continuously working on not shortchanging one of the elements leads to that balance. We don’t always get it right, and when we don’t, recognizing and course correcting will lead toward a more satisfied home and work life. 

What do you like to do when you are not at work? 

I like to get outside as much as I can, so plenty of walking and hiking when I’m not at work. I have large extended families and getting time together with members of those families is always rewarding. We love the Pacific Northwest, spending most of our free time between the Oregon Coast and the foothills of the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho.  

Best tip to relieve stress? 

Get outside. Whether walking or running, or anything in between, the fresh air and hopefully sunshine helps cure stress. If you have the noise of a city, then you can lose yourself in music or a podcast. If you have the luxury of hiking up Badger Mountain trail or somewhere else that is off the beaten path, I find it rewarding to not have something playing in my ear but instead to try to focus on the sounds of the breeze, the water, the birds, your footsteps. 

What’s your favorite book? 

My favorite book is “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain. It gave me a richer understanding of the differences in all of us, and the good every personality type can contribute. This understanding helped me appreciate others, at work and at home. “Quiet” will help the reader appreciate what everyone can contribute if they’re given the autonomy and encouragement to do so. 

Do you have a personal mantra, phrase or quote you like to use? 

Be the best version of yourself, comparing yourself to others will underserve your potential.