Adam Torres andAndrew Johnson discuss Texas FFA.
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Show Notes:
Listen to coverage from the 96th Texas FFA State Convention in Houston, Texas. In this episode, Adam Torres and Andrew Johnson, explore Andrew’s background as an FFA member and attending convention.
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About Andrew Johnson
Project-oriented problem solver who is able to grasp difficult concepts and theories; Lively and energetic natural leader capable of motivating others through excellent communication and people skills; Trained and experienced in marketing and direct sales; Substantial research and writing experience demonstrated via the completion of a six credit-hour undergraduate Honors Thesis; Can collect, compile, and analyze statistical data; Capable of using financial equations in a practical manner; Skilled with Apple, Google, and Microsoft Office suites; Quick study of standard operating procedures; Proficient user of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, Vimeo, Pinterest, WordPress, and (of course) LinkedIn.
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Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres and I am at the Texas FFA convention in Houston, Texas. And today my guest is Andrew Johnson. Hey, Andrew, welcome to the show. Hey, Adam, thanks for having me on. All right. So, man, excited to have you here. We’ve been covering the conference now for three years in a row.
What brings you to the conference today? So it’s my first time back in 10 years. Houston’s my hometown. The last convention I was at, I was working for the foundation as a ambassador program coordinator in 2014, in 2013. So it’s been a, been a good decade. Yeah. So tell me your story. How’d you originally get introduced to FFA?
I originally got into FFA through my dad. He was a former state president and former national president Jake N. Johnson. Back in the seventies. And so when I was a sophomore in high school, one of my friends that was in a biology class as a freshman was in FFA, and so she couldn’t pique my interest and I knew my dad had been active in it through basically his entire adult life.
Mm-Hmm. . And so I kind of just approached him, asked him kind of what the deal was. He introduced me to the Ag teacher. Mm-Hmm. . And I am. I came from pretty much the one chapter that I’m aware of in the entire country where there are five high schools that are pooled to one FFA chapter. It’s been around since 1950.
Yeah. It’s on 18 acres in the middle of urban Houston. Yeah. With just neighborhoods and businesses around it. So it’s just a little piece of rural paradise right in the middle of Houston. Yeah. So got involved that way. And then because my dad and Aaron are so well connected and tight and have worked together for 20 years.
That’s kind of what got me into the Ambassador program and How do you feel FFA has helped prepare you in life? Like, how do you feel it’s enriched you? Initially, I just got in because I was interested in the animals I did raise. Livestock with pigs and a scramble steer for Houston Livestock Show Radio.
I grew up going to the rodeo pretty much every year. It’s a big thing around here in March. For And really the one big thing that I got out of it that I wasn’t expecting to initially was all of just the leadership training talking to people face to face, like learning how to actually be an adult and work in business and develop relationships.
It’s different to start that at such a young age. I would argue most people that don’t go through something like a Texas FFA, they don’t really even start to. Get that experience till after college. Right. Like everything before college has nothing to do with that when I think about like the some of the programming things that people are Doing here, especially some people that have that gap year.
They’re going to all the chapters They’re doing all these speeches and all this and I’m like That was like in my mid twenties, maybe I started to do that. Or if you think about depending on how high up somebody goes in FFA, that if they’re in front of a board doing like getting, you know, being interviewed, like I’m like, that’s like something a CEO or a C level individual gets that happens in their life in their like forties.
But that’s happening at such a young age. It’s absolutely amazing to me. Yeah, and it’s kind of crazy because a lot of people, when you think about high schoolers in Texas, your brain immediately goes to football and athletics. Yeah, that’s what Mike did. A lot of teachers, they try to get their kids, and parents try to get their kids into athletics to teach them accountability, teamwork, leadership.
All of the things that FFA provides, but athletics doesn’t really do that in a professional environment. For sure, for sure. So that way when those kids are actually going into the real world, they have actual practical experience applying those things and applying those lessons. Yeah, yeah. If you’re on a baseball diamond or a gridiron, you’re not necessarily getting that.
Yeah, you might get some discipline, you might get some scheduling, you’re obviously getting the physical side of things, but, Yeah, definitely. You’re not doing Parliament. I don’t know is there is is Texas have in their football parliamentary procedure or like no don’t think so You sure that isn’t for at least at least not back in my baseball days.
We didn’t I’ll take it What keeps you coming back man? Like you lot a lot of things could be doing a lot of like interest like what keeps you coming back to convention. So I mean, obviously take this with a grain of salt, it’s been 10 years since I’ve been back, but it’s just the ability to give back and pay it forward and kind of use some of my life experience just to be able to kind of give some of these kids that are trying to figure out who they are, what they want to do with their life, give them just some advice coming from somebody who’s kind of late twenties, early thirties, just kind of getting into the beginning of the professional grind.
Thank you. Versus some of the trainers that they’re used to hearing from. Like Aaron, who have been in business for 20, 30 years. Exactly, yep. Just kind of giving. All the old dogs, you got, oh sorry Aaron, no. Like an early career perspective versus a seasoned veteran perspective. For sure, for sure. And it’s important because that’s realistically the next stage in some of their lives.
So that’s what’s next. Yeah. What so looking at this all what’s been your, is your first year back? So I want to commemorate this because I know whether it’s next year or in the future, you’re going to be coming back. I already know. Oh, yeah. It’s got that magnetization now. So at least every four years or so.
It’s got that magnetism. Yeah. So I want to commemorate this one as a welcome back. What’s been your favorite part this year so far? What’s been your favorite part? Like memorable, just a memorable moment. Just getting to be back in the ambassador room with all the kids. They all work so hard. They’re so knowledgeable.
Oh my gosh. It’s amazing. Just the leadership potential in that room. I know those kids are going to go so far just because I went through the program. Yeah. And I know that it’s a lot of just information overload and they may not necessarily get all of it, but I’m hoping when I go up and talk to them in, in Another 10 15 minutes that I’ll be able to kind of keep it.
Yeah. Just saying to keep it memorable. I’m talking about life and leadership lessons coming from Ted Lasso. Mm. So, kind of keeping that positivity. Mm hmm. Talking about vulnerability. Yeah. Empathy. And how much of an asset it is to being a leader and building a team and keeping a team together.
Keeping it tight knit. So that way everybody can work together towards common goals. Hmm. It’s amazing. Yeah. One of the things is every time I come back year after year, I’m just inspired. These stories that I hear, I just heard one before we started this interview. One of the ambassadors. She was telling me about how their hotel didn’t have power and I’m like, well, what did you do?
And they’re like, well, we’ve been staying there with this that and she’s like, well It’s kind of like we’re camping and then we just had to then we just lay a bit going on It was it was so hot that we finally had to go home So they drove an hour 40 minutes home And then she was so excited that they got to drive back this morning and they missed some of the beginning But they’re still here and they’re happy about it and the difference between that when I think about like myself I’m picking on me I’m like, I, my coffee was a little cold as well, but I’m like, what come on, Adam, like, like muscle, like I, the resiliency and like, and to see her, she, when she was telling this, I don’t know if that’s just an FFA thing or if it’s a youth thing, cause I, I don’t know that I’m necessarily as resilient now in my 30s as I was.
You know, when you’re in the, when you were in the energy here though, you were Oh, yeah. Oh, for sure. You were. It would’ve been an adventure. I mean, I think, I think that’s part of coming back to convention, like being around the kids brings such a youthful energy that you even, that’s why I come back, even if you’re, you know, no matter.
How much, how old of a has been you are, you can still come back and have, have fun and have hope for the next generation coming through after us. Amazing. Well, final question, Andrew. So, so what’s going next with you, just on your, in your business side, personal, whatever, like what’s next on the horizon for you?
Headed back to work. I’ve been working with the Astros over in sports and entertainment hospitality for the last two years So immediately after this I got work, but kind of fun. Is that why is that working with the team? It’s great I’m a huge baseball nut. So you said you played yeah, so I did Kind of when everybody else hit their growth spurts and you know, seventh eighth grade and I didn’t that’s kind of when I dropped off in little league, yeah but Just being around the game.
I’ve it was really my first love and so Being in the ballpark Every day for every home game including all the postseason runs. Oh, that’s my first season there We went all the way of the World Series and won it all I got to be there for the clinch. You’re in game six What? Unbelievable Unbelievable fucking moment.
Yeah, so what a blessing that’s been really fun This year, the asterisks have kind of been down, but they’ve started to piece back together the last month or so. So it’s starting to pick up. Attendance is picking up. Things are getting excited. I think we might make another post season run, but we’ll see.
But other than that, thinking about going back to get my master’s in food science. Okay. Just because I really like being in the restaurant industry, being in hospitality. And just the creativity of the culinary experience in the ballpark and constantly, you know. Coming up with new things. Yeah.
And just kind of keeping everybody’s taste buds kind of on their toes. Well now, well now I know. Mixing my metaphors there. Well now, now I know who I’m getting my tickets from but I know you gotta go. I know you gotta eat much pull. I do not have that much pull. I had to try everyone. No, so I know you got to go do the keynote.
So I’ll do the speech. Sign off for everybody that’s watching and listening. Hey, I hope you had a lot of fun. We’re going to have more coverage coming from the Houston Texas FFA conference. And if you haven’t hit the subscribe button yet or the follow button, do it. This is a daily show each and every day.
We’re bringing you new interviews, new vision, and hopefully new inspiration to help you along in your journey as well. So again, hit that subscribe or follow button and Andrew, Hey, keynote, man. Really appreciate that. Coming on to meet you, man.