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Customers, he said, are similar no matter where they’refrom because when it comes down to it, they are looking fora quality product and good customer service. “Each culturehas its own overlay. Once you peal that back, it’s down tobuilding trust and delivering on that trust,” Gaffney said.Jeff SleeperThe World is HisAlmondWhen asked which regionhe represents, regional salesmanager Jeff Sleeper hasquite an extensive list: Asia,Middle East, Australia, NewZealand, Africa and SouthAmerica. While some ofthose are large in terms oflandmass, the markets aremanageable for Sleeper, whose customers are looking forbulk almonds and core manufactured products. Sleeper is agraduate of University of California, Davis with a bachelor’sin international relations, and the University of SouthernCalifornia where he earned master’s degrees in businessadministration and East Asian area studies. “My lifelongattraction to and joy for meeting and communicating withpeople from countries throughout the world made sales anatural fit for me,” he said.Sleeper, who speaks Japanese and Korean, said sensitivityto and sincere respect for foreign cultures, customs andmanners is crucial to connecting for customers abroad.In the regions he represents, each approach business in aslightly different way. While his customers in the Englishspeaking regions of Australia, New Zealand and SouthAfrica hold customs similar to the United States, fornon-English speaking regions, business customs can bedifferent. In Asia, some customers prefer high quality,perfect almonds free from chips or scratches. In the MiddleEast, customers like to haggle on prices, something that isunfamiliar in the U.S.His most memorable moment while abroad for Blue Diamondcame on a trip to the Middle East during Hajj, the annualMuslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Sleeper saidhe found himself the only westerner in a business suiton a connecting flight from Amman, Jordan to Riyadh,Saudi Arabia. Contrary to any negative stereotype ofMiddle Easterners with unpopular views of westerners,he explained that he was treated with the utmost courtesy,being offered a seat by several older men on a bus from thetarmac to the gate, and an airport employee volunteered tobe a translator for him on the walk to his connecting flight.“It was very interesting to see that kind of hospitality firsthand and to know that stereotypes just aren’t true,” he said.Each Working for a Common GoalIn the end, each is working to achieve Blue Diamond’s mission– to deliver the benefits of almonds to the world. They arebuilding on their mutual respect for culture and interactingwith diverse populations in order to realize the best possiblereturn to Blue Diamond’s grower-owners. Whether they areselling a sliced, diced or slivered almond as an ingredientto a bakery company or bulk whole natural almonds to achocolatier or snack food company, the Global Ingredientsales staff is working on the growers’ behalf to find a homefor Blue Diamond Almonds.NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2012 Almond Facts 35