NutraWomen Wednesday: Bente Jeanette Foss, Chief Technology Officer at GC Rieber VivoMega

GC Rieber VivoMega’s Chief Technology Officer started off in drug discovery, developing anti-inflammatory analogs from carotenoids in the pharmaceutical industry. Bente Jeanette Foss later switched gears to work in the natural ingredients industry, where she currently develops marine oils and omega-3 concentrates for human consumption.

Foss said one key aspect to her success is her colleagues.

“I have had very good support from my leaders here at this company and also many of my co-workers. The leadership at GC Rieber is both inclusive and result-oriented. So I've been given a lot of responsibilities and I have also been challenged a lot,” said Foss.

Foss added that she recently finished a leadership training program called ‘Lead by Example,’ put on by GC Riber. As part of this program, the group of 12 men and women were followed for one year.

“We had a great mentor who pushed us in all kinds of directions, it was actually a little bit uncomfortable at times. But in the end, it was very rewarding and instructive. We trained in communication, teamwork, self awareness, insight, presence, body language and many, many other things.”

Whether it’s collaborating with the sales team, attending trade shows or learning from her peers, Foss said she thoroughly enjoys what she does.

“We work in a very interesting industry. I think I learn something new every day and that's what makes my job fun.”