Jennifer Helton, a lifelong resident of Jasper County, Indiana, has dedicated over three decades to Belstra Milling, climbing the ranks from part-time work to vice president.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. When I started with Belstra, there were about 13 employees on the mill side. Now, we have nearly 100 on the mill side and about 115 on the farm side,” Helton said. “We’ve grown significantly, expanding across different divisions, sales, and product offerings.”
The company is planning on opening a second farm and garden location in Reynolds, Ind., which is expected to open in April. Additionally, a new swine operation is under construction in Newton County.
“Locally, we have many sales opportunities and hope to continue growing our existing brands,” Helton said.
It’s not just Belstra that has deep ties to the Region, however — Helton, a proud Hoosier who is happily married with one child, has lived in the area her entire life.
“My dad was a supervisor at Northway Products and a Jasper County police reserve officer. He later moved into active law enforcement, serving two terms as Jasper County sheriff before retiring. My mom and I both work together at Belstra,” Helton said. “I’ve lived here my whole life, except for a year in the service. My husband, now retired, served in the Air Force, and our son is in the laborers' union.”
Helton has come a long way from working part-time to celebrating 35 years with Belstra. Looking back, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“Belstra Milling was founded in 1954, so we’ve celebrated 70 years as a family-owned business. There are so many things about the company that inspire me, and that’s why my career will always be here. The dedication to employees, along with the care and compassion the company fosters, goes a long way in today’s world,” Helton said.
While Helton found a passion and love within agriculture and milling, that was not her initial plan as a child.
"Growing up, I wanted to be an accountant — until I job-shadowed during tax season and realized it might be a little too intense for me at the time,” Helton said. “Years later, I’m not an accountant, but I do oversee accounting. In a way, I had it figured out back then, but my position has evolved not only on the accounting side but also into the people side. That’s truly where my passion is.”
Outside of business hours, Helton finds solace in life’s simplest pleasures.
“I enjoy walking for exercise. I am an avid reader and love going out, spending time with friends, and traveling,” Helton said. “I'm also an avid college basketball fan, so I watch a lot of basketball. I'll just say I root for several in the state of Indiana.”
Work-life balance is key to happiness and success. For Helton, she remains committed to her values, embodying Northwest Indiana’s spirit of hard work and perseverance.
“Change isn’t always easy, especially as we get older, but seeing younger people’s excitement and drive fuels my own motivation. It pushes me to be better,” Helton said.