Нужно просто ставить цели и достигать их вместе с командой!

Behind the high results of any successful company always stands an individual, the charismatic leader, who is able to join people and inflame a faith in their souls, to exemplify how to achieve the goals put by. Such an opinion about the leader is hold by the collective of the “Rud” company. And in his turn, the President of our enterprise — Petro Volodymyrovich Rud asserts that: “The core factor for any business” owner — is stop hiding the head in the sand and consider that all troubles and difficulties which arise up on the enterprise are just the casual coincidence that he will manage independently. You have to choose a team that will work jointly to a common outcome”.

— Petro Volodymyrovich, You are not only the President of the “Rud” company — the leader of ice cream market in Ukraine, but also is the core and main driving force for all employees. Will You, please, tell us the way You have succeed to manage people so that they would not only respect You, but also love You?

— Foremost, I consider that people are the main asset of business. I have always been treating, treat and will treat all workers with respect — disregarding to their position — a top-manager, a specialist or just a worker. In people, you have to value aspiration to self-realization, development; notice their competence and decency in work, respect people, as professionals and personalities. Also, I would like to say that motivation is the core factor for people, if you want them to achieve the results. And I suppose that this kind of approach is quite normal.

— A strong collective spirit is a security of future successes of any company. How have the changes in the organizational structure, which took place at the beginning of this year, influenced on the development of the company?

—The worst I can do, as the owner and the President of the company, is to limit top-management in authority and responsibility. If I, as a leader and manager, do not give to people a chance to feel, in particular to the Board of directors, that they can influence on a fate and strategic decisions of the company, to make decisions within the limits of their competence, they will become robots. Restructuring in the personnel sphere of the enterprise, at the beginning of 2007, brought expected achievements. And the Director General — Vivsik S.A., and all other appointed top-managers — have made everything possible and achieved desired results. I am satisfied, but there are still things to work over and the courses to development!

— I think that, as any leader, You are a man of principle. Will You share with us, what are Your key principles? And what is a taboo for You, both in life and in business?

— Both in life and in business, my principles are identical, because work -it a part of life, and life is a part of work. At first, my last name is the brand of the company, which is the result of the inspired labor of the most part of my life. Besides, we have about 1500 employees on the enterprise, and for them, as well as for me, the image of the company, we are working in, is important. And these are not just mere words, this is important. There were different times, it was not turning out “smoothly” always, confusions and problems happened, but irreproachable reputation helped proudly find a way out of any kind of situations. I consider that there is nothing impossible; the key is to put goals and achieve them along with the team. But to “act against my conscience” is a taboo. Decency, honesty, responsibility, respect to each other… And I can not pass my family by; it is the core home front in the life of any person.

— Petro Volodymyrovich, how do You evaluate the efforts of the company in 2007? Have the goals, which were set at the beginning of the year, been achieved?

— In 2007 there were a lot of efforts and those goals, which were set at the beginning of the year, were attained. All professionals were working fast and well. And especially warm words I want to say concerning department workers, technical workers, workers of auxiliary services, drivers… these people — are great fellows, they did everything possible, so that the enterprise would attain perfect results and could proudly carry the rank “Ice cream #1 in Ukraine”.

Top-management, middle-level managers and all other professionals performed “shock” work. My words of gratitude and respect are to them all.

— ТМ “Rud” have not only fixed the market position but also increased its own market share. What projects have given possibility to get such a high outcome; in fact, the volumes of ice cream consumption are not quite increasing, and the competition at the market becomes tougher?

— The “Rud” company for the last few years has been one of the leaders on ice cream market, and we are doing everything possible not only to strengthen the positions, but also to increase our share due to the market redistribution. Today, the market is not growing (and in the nearest years this tendency will remain the same), it experiences the period of stagnation and consolidation of main players. And we are included in a group of main players. Besides, successful and competent marketing-sale strategy gives the effective “harvest”.

— The “Rud” company always makes warranty of quality to the consumers. How can You keep the stable quality of products for so long?

— Quality and safety of products is the basic principle of production of all factory's assortment. It is both a mission and a strategy of the company. Since 2001 we have been applying in industry: the system of quality, which responds to the request NSSU ISO 9001–2001, the safety control system of food products on the basis of a conception of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) that corresponds to the requests of NSSU 4161–2003 and NSSU ISO 22000:2007, and the environment control system in accordance with the requirements of the state standard of Ukraine NSSU ISO14001:2006. The keeping of these standards by the enterprise helps to support the orientation of the activity on high-quality production output and satisfaction of consumers“ demands.

— The enterprise has given a good account of itself, as the company which can work with diversified portfolio of products. What kinds of accents should be expected as for the further promotion of the components of the given portfolio?

— I think we have understood in a proper time that diversification to the products“ portfolio is a very important moment in business. Besides, ice cream, as our key strategic product — is, unfortunately, is still very seasonal one. And in order to solve this question, it was made a decision, concerning the development of one more line of products — the frozen vegetables and mixtures. As for these products, the culture of their consumption has not been formed yet, but the changes to the better side are obvious. People taste, evaluate advantages and get interested in the given product. I think the lines of the frozen vegetables and mixtures have everything ahead! Next year we will set our efforts in all directions of our business.

— Petro Volodymyrovich, how do You evaluate the promotion of the frozen vegetables and mixtures under the “Chief-Cook” brand, in fact some players of “cold” market have also started the development of such food line, as 'Vegetable frost“?

— The volumes of this market have not been defined yet, Ukrainian producers can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and all basic competitors are foreign producers, such as Polish or Dutch ones. Certainly, the development and promotion of these products requires huge funds, because there are still a lot of problems: market — is developing, culture of consumption — is not high, installation of additional equipment in supermarkets — is problematic. But we have a promotional plan, and we have already started its applying and will apply further.

— Modern distribution is the strong partner relations which give a chance to development, as to the producer, so to the companies that sell and promote the products on the markets. How do You evaluate the partners“ performance in 2007 and whom would You mark out particularly?

— I would like to thank all our distributors, all have been performing perfectly and effectively, the activities spoke for themselves. I consider necessary to draw yours and mine attention to the results of our best distributors — Dyachuna V.G., “Ice Team” LTD, TF “Rud”, and the companies 'Pilot“ and ”Sweet life“. These are great teams of joined like-minded persons, who, with the strong leaders at the head, always know their goals and want to reach them by any means. They are an example to follow.

I want to say that we are the partners and are working together for the sake of important purpose — the satisfaction of consumers“ demands in high-quality products.

— And, finally, Petro Volodymyrovich, what are the strategic plans for the next year that You can make public, and, what would You like to wish to everyone?

— Foremost it is an increase of production capacities of the enterprise, development of production area, promotion of all directions of our assortment lines on the market of Ukraine, support of close partner relations with our distributors…

We have a lot of ambitious, strategic plans, I will not lay all the “cards” on the table, but, as for us, we will make everything possible in the future, to keep the rating of the company-producer of “Ice cream #1” in Ukraine, the company that satisfies all tastes and demands of our consumers.

I wish to all strong health, happiness, energy, inspiration, faith, hope and love!

I greet you all with the coming New Year and Christmas!