In honor of  Women’s History Month in March, Gills Onions is thrilled to dedicate the entire month to shining a light on the stories of resilience and accomplishment of four remarkable women on our team. Follow along with us on this empowering journey as we dive into their stories, share their experiences, and celebrate the invaluable role they play in sustaining and transforming the industry as a woman in agriculture.

One of our outstanding employees is Eddyth Ramirez, currently serving as our purchasing specialist. Over the course of 17 years here at Gills Onions, Eddyth has held numerous positions in our production area, steadily advancing to her current role. Recently, we had the privilege of sitting down with Eddyth to learn more about her journey and the path that led her to where she is today.

After relocating at just 20-years-old to be closer to her siblings, Eddyth began her job search and found an opportunity with us. She first began on our sorting line, removing onions that didn’t meet our standards. But that didn’t last long as Eddyth is someone who thrives on pushing herself, striving to learn something new once she’s mastered her latest role. It was this very mindset that led her to become the first certified female forklift driver at Gills.

Quick on Her Feet

Eddyth and her team in our purchasing department play a crucial role in our day-to-day operations. While they may not have direct contact with onions, their work ensures we’re able to get our product out and into the hands of our customers. Since taking on this position in early 2020, Eddyth ensures we are fully stocked with the product packaging and PPE our production area team members need.

In her role, Eddyth checks for product compliance from a food safety standpoint by verifying materials won’t cause allergic reactions to our employees or consumers, the color is different than that of our onion products and ensuring the overall quality of the product is at the highest level. Unfortunately, her start in this role coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting multiple unforeseen challenges. Despite a very difficult first year, Eddyth now feels equipped to handle anything.

Inspirational Leaders

For Eddyth, one of the key aspects she’s valued at Gills, “is the opportunities women have had within the company – that jobs aren’t just automatically for a man,” she said. Eddyth credits the diverse leadership here for her accomplishments and appreciates seeing women in traditionally male-dominated roles. “For example – the forklift drivers, the leads – it’s not only men,” she said. “It’s whoever is most qualified for the position.”

Passing on the lessons she’s learned throughout her career, Eddyth has been a role model to her two children. She believes in setting an example for her children as a single parent, showing them the correlation between hard work and the life they enjoy at home. 

Eddyth shared, “My kids see that because I work, what we have at home is a result of that – I work hard to provide for them.”

Since joining the Gills team, Eddyth’s perspective on growing and processing a fresh product has grown, appreciating it more. She shares, “It’s valuing the product and the people – the work that happens before you have it at your table.” She’s passed on this line of thinking to her children, which has even played a part in them working together as a family to eat at home whenever possible. And the star of those homemade meals? Fresh onions, of course.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Eddyth’s story exemplifies the strides made in creating an inclusive and diverse environment at Gills Onions. We take pride in recognizing the significant contributions of women in agriculture and understand the pivotal role they play in shaping the industry’s future. Through continued investment in dedicated individuals like Eddyth, we not only accelerate progress but also inspire a culture of inclusion that transcends conventional boundaries.