In 2007, Swift & Staley embraced the concepts set forth in the book titled Good to Great authored by Jim Collins (www.jimcollins.com). The book describes a five year research journey to discover how eleven companies made the leap from good to great (G²G). The eleven diverse companies selected for the research began as good companies and because of disciplined people, disciplined thoughts, and disciplined actions, achieved a sustainable greatness that has endured where other companies stalled in the middle of the road or failed completely.

Like these eleven great companies, Swift & Staley is not satisfied with being just a good company. Therefore, with the help of the tools provided in the book, Swift & Staley has begun its own journey from Good to Great. A G²G council has been established to gain insight and understanding about important issues facing the company.

The council consists of seven employees selected from across the company with each bringing a different perspective to the process. The council’s purpose is to ascertain answers to these three important questions:

• What can Swift & Staley be the best in the world at?
• What drives Swift & Staley’s economic engine?
• What is Swift & Staley deeply passionate about?

Each member of the team has to be committed to this process if Swift & Staley is to achieve G²G status. The journey is long and the choices will not be easy. Swift & Staley has started the journey.