“I certainly didn't have my sights set on VP of operations back in 2010,” laughed Cormier.
Prior to being offered her current position, she was offered the GM role in 2013. While she’s glad she took that position, it was initially pretty intimidating, Cormier recalled.
“It was a little bit terrifying, but it was equally exciting and exhilarating and it took me a little bit of time to grow into that role and I look back now and it's been so rewarding.”
While work was going well, life at home for Cormier took an unexpected turn in 2017 when her husband Shane passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly.
“My entire world crumbled and there were days I couldn’t get out of bed and wasn’t sure how I could continue on. At 35 years old, I was a widow. I felt like my life was over and wasn’t sure what I had left to live for. I was completely broken. I couldn’t breathe or function some days until I realized I did have so much to continue living for. My sister-in-law gave me a book about a month after Shane passed away and there was a very defining moment in that book that changed my entire outlook on life and Shane’s passing. It immediately allowed me to change my perspective from loss to gratitude. I realized I had so much left in my life to be thankful for – primarily my 8 year old son at the time.”
Cormier said that while she still has bad days, she now has the strength to push forward and hopes her story may help others get through life’s most challenging times.
“Life is full of adversity and life is full of good moments and bad moments. And you need to push through the bad days because there's better days ahead. A saying I often use is ‘it is what it is’ and I really don't dwell on the past. I like to, you know, deal with things head-on and it is what it is. We’ll carry Shane with us always, but we need to push through the bad days to the better days ahead."
In January 2021, Cormier was offered VP Operations with Nature’s Crops. She said that as busy as it is, it’s been a very exciting and rewarding ride.
