By Gina Forsyth
When we’re kids, school field trips are a terrific break from our routine. For Kathy Baker, Value-Added Manager at the Port Hardy Processing Plant (PHPP) on the North Island, accompanying her kindergarten aged son on a class trip to a processing plan in Port McNeill many years ago changed the course of her working life.
“I talked to the Office Manager and was immediately interested in the industry. I knew nothing about it but realized the sense of
Kathy Baker, Port Hardy, BC
teamwork was something I’d enjoy. I applied and even though it didn’t happen right away, they called me”, explained Kathy. She started on the processing line at Englewood in 1997 and following its closure in 2004, she was Lead Hand in Port Hardy for a year and then offered the Value-Added Manager position.
Her work focuses on ensuring the value-added crew of 24-26 is filling orders accurately, on time, and with close attention to quality control. In addition, Kathy oversees a substantial budget.
“I like to be on the floor as much as possible. I’m very hands-on,” said Kathy, who is married with four kids in their 20s.
She was born in the Okanagan Valley into a military family that moved a great deal. She graduated from high school in Port McNeill, where she lives. An integral part of the Baker family is Winston and Churchill, two Cairn Terriers, and Mia the cat.
Kathy loves gardening, crabbing, and the opportunities Marine Harvest provides to give back to her local community through volunteering for company-sponsored events.