In 2019 Robin Lipari was riding in a cab in Cologne, Germany when the driver recognized the diamond-shaped TABASCO logo on her briefcase and struck up a conversation about the hot sauce. It’s not an uncommon scenario for Lipari, chief financial officer (CFO) for McIlhenny Company, and it’s a part of her job that she says makes her proud to work there.

She recalls in 1996 first sitting down with her prospective boss Michael Terrell in an interview for a position as financial planning and analysis manager. “He asked me, ‘What do you want to do the rest of your life?’ I was twenty-four. I had no idea!” But she had experience in public accounting, a good feeling about the company, and was impressed with its family orientation. On the drive home from the interview, they called and offered her the job.

By 2000 Lipari moved into the position of manufacturing controller and then became corporate controller in 2012. At the beginning of 2019, she was promoted to director of finance, and by November was named chief financial officer when Terrell, the fourth-generation of his family to work at McIlhenny, was made chief operating officer. “I had been groomed for this position and worked very hard to come into the role, but I was still very surprised,” she recalls. “I’m the CFO of a company that’s known worldwide. Every country, more than likely, has used TABASCO Sauce.”.

Lipari is the first female CFO in the company’s 152-year history. When asked about the challenges of that distinction, she seems unphased. “I’ve always worked primarily with men and have had many dealings with male CFOs. I had no reason to be intimidated.”

It was the right attitude for someone who not only would lead global finances for an internationally-known food company, but would also oversee all treasury functions and answer to shareholders and a board of directors.

But the scope of her work goes beyond that.

Lipari is also a strategic advisor for McIlhenny’s president and chief executive officer Harold Osborn and the board of directors on matters ranging from new product development and pricing configurations to capital investments for the factory. “We just finished a three-year strategic plan in the middle of COVID,” says Lipari, who is one of a seven-member leadership team. “We need to keep our production facilities up to date to keep up with the volume we’re producing. So, we recently looked at purchasing three different pieces of machinery.” She explains, “ A lot of time this past year has been spent talking about COVID‘s effects on the food service industry and what we need to do to help restaurants, like providing them with individual portion packets of TABASCO Sauce. We’ve discussed what happens on the production floor and developing processes in the plant to keep employees six feet apart.”

Being in charge of accounting, financing, order entry, credit management, strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting, and all treasury management functions gives Lipari plenty to think about. The mother of two says McIlhenny Company is like another child to her. “I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about something,” she muses.

Among all the weighty decisions, there are fun parts to the job, including — her favorite — taste testing new products, like the new line of barbeque sauces that recently hit the market. She has traveled to the mash fields of Honduras to meet with farmers on how the peppers were growing. A few months before COVID hit, she attended the Anuga food and beverage show in Germany. “I also enjoy walking the factory lines and watching the production of TABASCO Sauce bottles. Since COVID, I miss doing that,” she admits.

Another plus for Lipari: she works on a little piece of paradise called Avery Island. You can hear the smile in her voice as she says, “I love Jungle Gardens. Many of my children’s childhood pictures were taken there, right up to my daughter’s senior pictures this year.”

When pressed for the one thing she likes most about her job, she says, “The people. We have some really good people, from the leadership team and employees to board members and shareholders. Anytime employees are in need, the McIlhenny family members go out of their way to help.”

She credits the flexibility given to her at work with making it possible to achieve a balance in her work and personal life all these years. “I was able to attend my children’s school plays, sporting events and other activities when they were younger. I work an average of fifty hours a week, but not all of it is from the office. I’ve always had the benefit of logging in from home and, with today’s technology, I can check my emails from just about anywhere.”

Her years at McIlhenny have taught her valuable lessons, which she applies in her day-to-day life, like picking her battles, realizing some things are really inconsequential and not dwelling on the negative — instead, letting it go.

Lipari looks back at her days at New Iberia Senior High as a time that formulated her leadership skills. “I was always a quiet person,” she says. “But I joined the dance team in high school and in my senior year I was elected captain. That’s when I realized I had a voice and could lead.” She recalls, “We went to competition and won every award and were invited to dance at the Macy’s parade in New York. Those things shaped me into thinking that I could do anything that I wanted.”

While she takes great pride in building and managing what she describes as an amazing finance/accounting team at McIlhenny, Lipari says her greatest personal accomplishment has been teaching her son and daughter (alongside her husband Tommy) to be independent, and instilling in them if they want something, they must work for it.

A member of the Louisiana State Certified Public Accountants and the Association of International Certified Public Accounts, Lipari offers advice to young college women aspiring to be CFOs: “Be prepared to work hard; be dedicated and diligent; be thick skinned, and don’t let words hurt you; and speak up — but eloquently.”

Admittedly her own harshest critic, Lipari was surprised by her recent performance feedback from a survey she sent to her peers a couple months ago. Over 70 percent of the employees said she exceeded their expectations as a CFO. “Reading comments like, ‘I empower the team’ and, ‘I put in the extra time to take care of everyone’ was very humbling. I took it to heart,” she says. “It was all the confirmation I needed to realize that God placed me here for a reason. I’m proud of that little diamond logo that has represented family, brand consistency and great flavors for over one hundred and fifty years.”

In the “Hot” Seat

Little Known Talent: Speed reads

Favorite Charity: American Cancer Society

Few People Know: She doesn’t like to be in the spotlight.

Top of Her Song List: Shallow by Lady Gaga

Hobbies: Reading, Cooking

Favorite McIlhenny products: TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce and TABASCO® Brand Sweet & Spicy Sauce