Her Story
About Heather
Heather Ercolano is a Plant Floor Systems Business Analyst at Cargill with extensive experience spanning food production, food safety, regulatory compliance, animal welfare, process implementation, and operational technology. She began her career in the protein and food industry in 2011 after earning a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences from California State University, Chico. Her early professional experience included food safety roles with Agri Beef, Harris Ranch Beef Company, and Busseto Foods before she joined Cargill, where she has continued to develop her expertise across food production and operational systems.
In her current role, Ercolano serves as a bridge between business users and IT development, supporting the Plant Floor System used to manage daily operations across protein facilities in the United States and Canada. One of the most significant achievements of her Cargill career was leading the Foxtrot project and the implementation of the ScaleHouse system between 2022 and 2023. The project replaced paper-based cattle receiving processes with digital systems, including computerized receiving tickets and inventory management, creating a more stable and efficient operational process across participating facilities. Her background in food safety and regulatory compliance provides valuable operational context as she works on technology and process improvements.
Ercolano also places significant importance on professional development, mentorship, and service. She credits long-term mentorship from Matt Liu, Protein Value Added Operations Lead at Cargill, with helping her take on challenging assignments and develop professionally through constructive feedback and difficult projects. She contributes to the development of others through employee and intern mentoring and college recruiting activities, while also participating in Cargill Cares volunteer initiatives. Outside of her corporate career, she holds leadership roles in equine organizations, including President of the Gypsy Horse Show Association, National Secretary and Committee Chair for the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, and Board Member of the Ultimate Horseman’s Challenge Association.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heather
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my professional success to the mentorship and guidance I received from Matt Liu, Protein Value Added Operations Lead at Cargill and a former general manager of the Fresno facility. He supported my career development by challenging me with difficult projects and providing constructive feedback. Even after our direct working relationship ended, he continued to mentor me for many years.
What I particularly value about his leadership is his willingness to have difficult conversations while creating an environment where people feel safe challenging ideas and learning from feedback. His mentorship encouraged me to take on opportunities that stretched my abilities and helped me grow professionally.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the meat and protein industry is to be willing to work hard, earn trust, and build what I would call “sweat equity.” This is a relatively small and close-knit industry, so the relationships and reputation you establish through your work matter.
I also encourage people entering the field, particularly interns and those early in their careers, to be willing to take on challenging assignments without expecting to know everything beforehand. Some of the most valuable experiences come from being asked to solve problems that are initially outside your comfort zone. Working from the ground up, learning the operation firsthand, and taking on difficult responsibilities can provide the foundation needed to become a stronger and more effective leader.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The information provided does not contain a direct statement of my personal and professional values. However, my career experiences demonstrate the importance I place on hard work, trust, continuous learning, mentorship, constructive feedback, collaboration, and creating lasting improvements in the organizations and operations I support.
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