Pride, passion, and problem solving: How Jayma Sandquist became a fintech leader

Mar 23, 2023

By 2050, the world’s population could exceed nine billion people. That means 2.5 billion new mouths to feed.

And that, in turn, means we’ll have to produce more food and build and improve infrastructure to support this growth on roughly the same amount of land while using about the same amount of natural resources.

It will be, without question, a huge challenge. But Jayma Sandquist sees an extraordinary opportunity.

“John Deere employees are imagining and innovating breakthrough equipment solutions and technology that will advance lives and livelihoods in a rapidly growing world,” she said. "And at John Deere Financial, our teams are connecting with this technology, using critical data and insights to deliver financial solutions for customers to unlock new value from the field to the job site."

Sandquist is senior vice president, U.S. and Canada, and chief marketing officer for John Deere Financial. JDF, as it’s known, provides personalized financial solutions for customers and dealers so they can finance the equipment solutions, parts, and service needed to achieve success. She manages a product portfolio in the U.S. and Canada of $42 billion in assets and is responsible for marketing functions globally.

A propensity for problem solving

“When I was young and trying to decide what career path to take in business, I wasn’t sure where to go with a math and computer science background,” Sandquist said. “I certainly didn't know how those skills would translate to the business world. Solving problems, however, always appealed to me and I learned very quickly that our customers were relying on Deere to do just that."

But Sandquist, according to colleagues, is much more than a problem solver.

“Jayma is an inspirational leader who has exceptional command of the requirements necessary to manage a successful financial services company,” explained Joel Van Vark, JDF’s chief credit officer. “Her extensive knowledge of the industry, passion for our people, and broad knowledge has enabled her to truly become an expert in the equipment financing industry.”

Leading by example

Sandquist’s expertise, experience, and leadership in financial technology – or fintech – has firmly established her as a top leader at Deere. And her skillset, the one she was unsure about so many years ago, is now garnering accolades throughout the industry. Recently, she was named one of the top-50 women in equipment finance by Monitor magazine.

“I was surprised by this honor,” Sandquist said. “To have someone else recognize your work and then nominate you is very humbling. As you gain experience, you reflect on your career and think about it differently. Today, I lead a business and get to support customers in agriculture and construction, folks that are so important to our world, and I think that's what's made it a very satisfying career.”

Sandquist is also known for her dedication to mentoring the next generation of female leaders.

“You know what I appreciate most about Jayma’s mentorship? Her candor and sincerity,” said Allison Young, sales analytics manager for Deere’s Ag & Turf division. “While I never doubted that Jayma was an advocate for me, she pushed me, challenged me, and pointed out areas where I could improve. She’s exceptional at making you self-reflect.”

For Young, representation matters. And having a strong female mentor helps cultivate an even stronger workplace culture where every voice matters, and great ideas thrive.

“Jayma cares so deeply about others, which is reflective in her mentoring,” Young said. “Strong female mentors remind us that women belong and our contributions matter. Jayma and female leaders have paved a path for the next generation and it’s up to them to keep forging the path, making it more accessible for all women to achieve success.”

Today, Sandquist is focused on bringing JDF’s ambitious new strategy to life – a strategy she believes will strengthen the company’s fintech leadership, unlock greater value for customers, and provide personalized financial solutions so life can leap forward.

“I’m very proud of our strategy and where we're headed as a company,” Sandquist said. “And I think our employees feel that way, too. They know it’s ambitious and they know it will take a lot of work to bring our vision to life. But they believe in it, they’re engaged, and they’re committed to customer success.

“There are extraordinary opportunities and a great energy at JDF, and I’m so proud to be part of it.”

Source : John Deere

Video: The Investment Opportunities of Industrial Hemp

The fledgling U.S. hemp industry is decades behind countries like Canada, France and China, but according to impact investor and this week’s podcast guest, Pierre Berard, it could flourish into a $2.2 billion industry by 2030 and create thousands of jobs.

To reach its potential, what the hemp industry needs most right now, Berard said, is capital investment.

Last month, Berard published a report titled “Seeing the U.S. Industrial Hemp Opportunity — A Pioneering Venture for Investors and Corporations Driven by Environmental, Social and Financial Concerns” in which he lays out the case for investment.

It’s as if Berard, with this report, is waving a giant flag, trying to attract the eyes of investors, saying, “Look over here. Look at all this opportunity.”

Berard likens the burgeoning American hemp industry to a developing country.

“There is no capital. People don’t want to finance. This is too risky. And I was like, OK, this sounds like something for me,” he said.

As an impact investor who manages funds specializing in agro-processing companies, Berard now has his sights set on the U.S. hemp industry, which he believes has great economic value as well as social and environmental benefits.

He spent many years developing investment in the agriculture infrastructure of developing countries in Latin America and Africa, and said the hemp industry feels similar.

“It is very nascent and it is a very fragmented sector. You have pioneers and trailblazers inventing or reinventing the field after 80 years of prohibition,” he said. “So I feel very familiar with this context.”

On this week’s hemp podcast, Berard talks about the report and the opportunities available to investors in the feed, fiber and food sectors of the hemp industry.

Building an industry around an agricultural commodity takes time, he said. According to the report, “The soybean industry took about 50 years to become firmly established, from the first USDA imports in 1898 to the U.S. being the top worldwide producer in the 1950s.”

Berard has a plan to accelerate the growth of the hemp industry and sees a four-pillar approach to attract investment.

First, he said, the foundation of the industry is the relationship between farmers and processors at the local level.

Second, he said the industry needs what he calls a “federating body” that will represent it, foster markets and innovations, and reduce risk for its members and investors.

The third pillar is “collaboration with corporations that aim to secure or diversify their supply chains with sustainable products and enhance their ESG credentials. This will be key to funding the industry and creating markets,” he said.

The fourth pillar is investment. Lots of it. Over $1.6 billion over seven years. This money will come from government, corporations, individual investors, and philanthropic donors.

The 75-page report goes into detail about the hemp industry, its environmental and social impact, and the opportunities available to investors.

Read the report here: Seeing the U.S. Industrial Hemp Opportunity

Also on this episode, we check in with hemp and bison farmer Herb Grove from Brush Mountain Bison in Centre County, PA, where he grew 50 acres of hemp grain. We’ll hear about harvest and dry down and crushing the seed for oil and cake.